US exit but other countries committed to remain in Iran N-deal

Washington, May 9: European leaders have pledged to remain committed to the Iran nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump dumped it as a "horrible, one-sided" agreement rooted in "fiction" and ordered the highest level of economic sanctions against Tehran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called Trump's Tuesday speech "silly and superficial" and said he was "making a damn mistake". He also said that he did not trust Britain, France or Germany and would need "guarantees" before continuing the nuclear deal.

Following Trump's announcement, the UK, France and Germany urged Washington not to obstruct the implementation of the Iran deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

They said they would work with the other signatories to the agreement to stress continuing support for the accord. Iran -- in the 2015 pact with China, France, Russia, Britain, the US and Germany plus the EU -- had agreed to halt its nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions.