Action to stop war, not start war: Trump on US killing Iran commander

While referring to the Iranian military mastermind, killed in a US air attack earlier Friday in Baghdad, as "sick," US President Donald Trump attempted to lower tensions by insisting that he does not want war with Iran.

Trump said, "We took action last night to stop a war, not to start a war. I've deep respect for Iranian people. We do not seek regime change, however Iranian regime's aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours must end now."

He also said that last night, on his direction US military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qasem Soleimani.