Berlin, Jan 4 (IANS): German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned of further escalation of tensions in the Middle East after the United States killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike in Iraq.

"Further escalation, which could set the whole region on fire, must be prevented," Maas was quoted as saying by the German Foreign Office on its official Twitter account.

Maas added that he just discussed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Germany is "in close consultations with Britain and France on how to help calm the situation," the tweet went on.

Maas noted that the consequences for the Middle East would be difficult to predict, Xinhua news agency reported.

The tension between Iran and the United States has dramatically escalated following the killing of the Iranian commander in a US airstrike on Friday.

Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed "severe revenge" for the killing of Soleimani.

Germany, France and Britain - signatories of the Iran nuclear deal - remain committed to the accord inked in 2015 after US withdrawal in May 2018.