European Commission President: Softening tensions in Iran, Iraq's interest

The “is in Iran's interest and especially Iraq's, to choose the path of maturity rather than escalation”, Von der Leyen said at a meeting of CSU bavarese conservatives in Seeon.

She also confirmed holding an extraordinary meeting of European foreign ministers Friday, while the EU seeks to ease tensions following the death of Qassem Solejmani, killed during an American attack on Baghdad.

Even German diplomacy chief Heiko Maas stressed today that American President Donald Trump's threats to sanction Iraq are not a great help.

I don't think Iraq can abide with threats, but more with arguments”, Maas underlined the Maas for public radio “Deutschlandfunk”.

” in Iraq, we are very engaged, not only in military terms, but also in helping stabilise, in order to rebuild this country, create infrastructure”, he underlined.

The entire situation risks losing if the situation continues to develop this way”, Maas stressed, who wants to ensure that Iraq does not become the scene of a war between other countries, the US and Iran.

Trump threatened Iraq with very strong sanctions if American troops would have to leave the country, following the Iraqi Parliament vote to demand their expulsion.