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The European Union today reaffirmed its support for a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers despite sharp criticism of the accord by US President Donald Trump.

It also urged U.S. lawmakers not to reimpose sanctions on Tehran. Mr Trump defied both U.S. allies and adversaries on Friday by refusing to formally certify that Tehran is complying with the accord, even though international inspectors say it is and said he might ultimately terminate the agreement.

EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Luxembourg said a failure to uphold an international agreement backed by the UN Security Council could have serious consequences for regional peace and also undermine efforts to check North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

After a closed-door meeting chaired by EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini on how best to proceed on the Iran issue, the ministers issued a joint statement saying the 2015 deal is key to preventing the global spread of nuclear weapons.