The killing of Iran's military leader Qasem Soleimani was “an extraordinary step in a complicated situation”, Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček told the CTK news agency on Friday. He said there was no question Iran would retaliate, which would not only worsen the situation in the Middle East but put at risk the progress made in the fight against international terrorism.

"I perceive the US air strikes in Iraq as an extraordinary step in a complicated situation. The guilt of people should be decided by the courts. I am not an expert in military strategy but similarly as the attack on the US Embassy, the killing of Iran’s military leader will not go unanswered. This will complicate the situation in the region and put at risk the progress made in the fight against Islamic State and international terrorism," Petříček said.

The Czech foreign minister said the top priority for Czech diplomacy now was to ensure the safety of posted Czech workers in Iraq, including diplomats, soldiers and police. The Czech Republic has an embassy and a consulate general in Iraq, as well as soldiers and military police serving in the country.

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