Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi expressed deep concern over the increasing tensions in the Middle East in a phone call Monday.

The two underscored the importance of increasing diplomatic efforts to quickly end military clashes, said Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

Bayramov and Araghchi also exchanged views on bilateral issues of mutual interest, the ministry said in the statement.

The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation.