An Iranian flag is pictured at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Jan. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

The signatories to the Iran nuclear deal said Tuesday that they stood by the faltering accord, opposing US efforts to restore international sanctions on the Islamic republic.

Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia are struggling to save the landmark 2015 accord with Iran, which has been progressively stepping up its nuclear activities since the US pulled out of the deal in 2018.

Tehran insists it is entitled to do so under the terms of the accord - which swapped sanctions relief for Iran's agreement to scale back its nuclear program - following Washington's withdrawal and reimposition of sanctions.

EU senior official Helga Schmid, who chaired the talks on Tuesday, wrote on Twitter that the meeting's participants were "united in resolve to preserve the #IranDeal and find a way to ensure full implementation of the agreement despite current challenges."

In a later statement, she added that all parties reiterated that "the US cannot initiate the process of reinstating UN [United Nations] sanctions" by drawing on a UN resolution enshrining the nuclear accord, which they have left.

Representatives from Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran and Russia all attended the talks - part of a regular series of gatherings to discuss the accord, which have been increasingly tense since the US pullout began unravelling the agreement.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti as saying participants were united in their "general, unanimous lack of recognition" of Washington's move. 

AFP