Saudi King Salman calls for 'defusing the crisis' in call with Iraqi president

In a phone call with Iraqi President  Barham Salih on Saturday, Saudi Arabia's King Salman called for reducing tensions in the region after the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, the kingdom's official news agency SPA reported.

"The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques confirmed the Kingdom's keenness on the security and stability of Iraq and the importance of staying calm and defusing the crisis in the region, in addition to taking all measures to reduce tension," the Saudi statement said.

On Friday, Riyadh called for "self-restraint" and warned of the "threats posed by terrorist militias". 

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in light of the rapid developments, calls for the importance of self-restraint to ward off all acts that may lead to aggravating the situation, with unbearable consequences," SPA cited an "official source" as saying.