Western countries participating in the Iran nuclear deal have warned Tehran there will be serious consequences if it takes steps that violate its terms.

Axar.az reports citing BBC.

The UK, France and Germany said they would still back the deal as long as Iran upheld its commitments.

It follows Iran's move to suspend some commitments now the US has left the deal and begun imposing new sanctions.

The 2015 accord was intended to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions in return for relief from sanctions.

But its economy has been badly hit by the new sanctions policy of the Donald Trump administration. The value of Iran's currency has dropped to record lows and its annual inflation rate has quadrupled.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said its latest move was within its rights under the deal. It has set a 60-day deadline for European nations to act to protect it from the US sanctions and threatened to resume the production of more highly enriched uranium if they do not do so.

Speaking on a visit to London, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iran's latest statement was "intentionally ambiguous".

Mr Pompeo said that although the US remained on the "same side" as its Western allies on countering Iranian influence, it had a different view on the nuclear deal and he indicated the US would act if trade with Iran continued beyond humanitarian aid.

He had flown to the UK from an unscheduled visit to Iraq. US officials have reported threats to US forces and their allies from Iran, but have given few details. A US aircraft carrier has been deployed to the Gulf.