WASHINGTON, January 10. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has held telephone talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg regarding the Iranian regime's dangerous attacks against Ayn al-Asad and Erbil Air Bases, and the continued threat Iran poses to the region," Ortagus said. "Secretary Pompeo reiterated President Trump's call for NATO to become more involved in the Middle East, and the two agreed NATO could contribute more to regional security and the fight against international terrorism," she added.

"The Secretary and the Secretary General jointly condemned Iran's destabilizing violence and remain committed to countering international terrorism, including through NATO's participation in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS [Islamic State terrorist organization banned in Russia] and training missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," he noted.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on January 3, when the United States delivered air strikes at the area near the Baghdad airport, killing commander of Iran's Quds Force Major General Qasem Soleimani. In response, Tehran delivered air strikes at two facilities in Iraq used by US forces — Ayn al Asad air base and airport in Erbil.