The US ambassador to Iraq has met with former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi politician’s office said, a day after pro-Iran militants struck US forces in the country.

According to AFP, the meeting in Baghdad with Ambassador Alina Romanowski comes amid soaring regional tensions, the fallout from more than three months of conflict between US ally Israel and Hamas, supported by Tehran.

Maliki, an influential figure in Iraqi politics and one of the top leaders of a pro-Iranian bloc, discussed with Romanowski “the future of bilateral relations” with the United States and “the escalation in regional tensions”, a statement from his office said.

He stressed “the importance of strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation” between Baghdad and Washington, the statement added.

Maliki also warned against “the expansion of the war” with “multiple crises the region faces” in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, the Red Sea, Syria, and Iraq. He called for “swift action to reduce tensions and put an end to mutual attacks”.