Iran calls for European measures to protect Iranian interests in nuke deal

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday urged the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal to take "practical and tangible measures" to protect Iranian interests after the U.S. pullout.

In a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rouhani warned that it will be impossible for Iran to remain in the nuclear deal if it cannot benefit from it, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The Iranian leader expressed satisfaction with Europe's stance, particularly France's, over the nuclear deal, but adding that the European remarks and statements should be followed by practical and tangible steps to compensate Iran and salvage Tehran's interests.

Iran and the other five signing parties to the deal should not allow this "great achievement of diplomacy" to be ruined by the unilateral measures and violations of the United States, Rouhani said.

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

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

Iran is currently in talks with France, Britain and Germany to revive the "blocking statute," a 1996 regulation that prohibits European Union companies and courts from complying with foreign sanctions laws.