Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is briefing the Senate on tensions in the Middle East that arose after the killing of top Iran commander Qasem Soleimani in a US air strike.

The minister began his speech by recounting how the crisis-like situation in the region unfolded, starting with the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad.

The foreign minister was directed by the Senate chairman to brief the upper house on developments on the foreign policy front last week.

more to follow.