WASHINGTON, May 1. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, urging them to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, the State Department said in statements.

In the talks with the Pakistani prime minister, Rubio spoke of the need to condemn the terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam.

"The secretary urged Pakistani officials’ cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack. He also encouraged Pakistan to work with India to de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications and maintain peace and security in South Asia," one statement said.

In the conversation with his Indian counterpart, the US secretary of state expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the terrorist attack and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism, according to the US State Department.

"He also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia," a separate statement said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan

Khaki-clad gunmen opened fire in the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in northern India on April 22, using assault rifles. They killed 25 Indians and one national of Nepal, wounding many others. News media reported that India allegedly found proof that the attack was carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (banned in Russia) and aided by the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan.

Following the attack, India reduced the staff of its embassy in Islamabad by almost a half, declared military advisors of the Pakistani embassy in India personae non gratae, and shut down the key Attari checkpoint on the border with Pakistan. The Indian authorities also suspended an agreement with Islamabad on the management of water resources and the issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level security meeting on Tuesday, where he said, according to sources, that the Indian Armed Forces have complete freedom to determine the manner, objectives and timing of response to the terrorist attack.