Iran criticizes Europe's 'inaction' over nuke deal: official

TEHRAN - Lack of efforts by Europe to save the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal will have "serious consequences," Kamal Kharrazi, chief of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said on Sunday, according to Tehran Times daily.

"Re-imposition of sanctions and pressure (by Washington) and Europe's lack of immediate action to meet obligations under the JCPOA (nuclear deal) will have serious consequences," said Kharrazi, former Iranian foreign minister.

He made the remarks during a meeting with British Minister of State for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, in the capital Tehran.

Burt said that the British position on the JCPOA is totally different from that of the United States.

"We are looking for a European mechanism for success of the JCPOA," Burt said, adding that Britain seeks to boost cooperation with Iran.

Iran has urgently called for Europe's "practical and tangible measures" to protect Iranian interests after the U.S. pullout.

Iran signed the landmark nuclear deal with the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany in 2015 to halt its nuclear weapons program in exchange for sanctions relief.

US President Donald Trump decided on May 8 to quit the Iranian nuclear deal and vowed to reimpose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Tehran.