Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Friday held a phone call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over regional developments amid the rising dispute between Washington and Tehran.

During the phone call from Pompeo, Mahdi discussed with hin "means to boost bilateral ties and exchanged views on the regional developments against the backdrop of the crisis between the US and Iran," said a statement by the prime minister's media office.

Mahdi "revealed Iraq's stance toward the current crisis and its efforts to achieve calm and protect the interests of the peoples and countries of the region," the statement added.

The Iraqi prime minister also "stressed the importance of developing bilateral ties and continuation of cooperation in all fields, most notably the economic cooperation and counter-terrorism."

For his part, Pompeo praised Iraq's stance and its efforts to maintain security and stability and avoid escalation in the region.

On Thursday, Iraq strongly condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha airport and two ships in the Gulf of Oman, calling for dialogue to achieve stability in the Middle East.

The phone call came amid escalating tension in the Middle East after US President Donald Trump decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May.

The United States has also increased its military activities in the region recently, citing a threat of Iranian attack.