ANKARA

Iranian and Qatari leaders on Saturday held a phone talk to discuss recent escalation in the Persian Gulf, the Iranian Presidency said.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also discussed relations with US, according to the statement.

"Iran carefully monitors all the activities and movements of Americans, but it will never be the side that starts any conflict or tension in the region,” Rouhani said, referring to rising tensions between Iran and the US in recent weeks in the Persian Gulf.

Al Thani said all actors in the region should jointly act to de-escalate tensions.

Tensions between Iran and the US heightened after Tehran conducted a space launch that could advance the country's missile program and US President Donald Trump asked his navy to shoot down any Iranian gunboats in the Persian Gulf.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan