Putin, Merkel back Iran deal

• European nations move to safeguard Iran interests

• Iran should not trust Europe: elite cleric

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Germany's Angela Merkel and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a bid to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive after the US decision to withdraw, the Kremlin said yesterday.

Putin has previously voiced "deep concern" over US President Donald Trump's decision and Russian officials have said they would work with European partners to preserve the agreement.

"The importance of preserving the deal from a point of view of international and regional stability was highlighted," the Kremlin said in a statement following a call between Putin and Merkel.

The two leaders also discussed the situation in Syria as well as Merkel's planned working visit to Russia next week, Moscow said.

Merkel has previously said Germany and its European partners would "do everything" to ensure Iran remains in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

The Russian president also spoke with his Turkish counterpart Erdogan, with the pair saying Trump was "wrong" to pull out of the accord, according to a Turkish presidential source late Thursday.

Ankara has been working closely with Moscow and Tehran over the past year on the Syrian peace process despite Turkey and Russia being on opposing sides of the conflict and having a sometimes troubled relationship with Iran, reported AFP.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will visit Russia in the coming days as part of a diplomatic tour taking in Brussels and Beijing, his spokesman said yesterday.

The 2015 deal had been negotiated between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany.

Meanwhile, Europe's heavyweight economies took steps yesterday to safeguard their commercial and political interests in Iran, seeking to keep the nuclear deal with Tehran alive after Washington pulled out and said sanctions would follow.

Germany, France have significant trade links with Iran and remain committed to the nuclear agreement, as does Britain, and all three countries' foreign ministers plan to meet on Tuesday to discuss it, reported Reuters.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said possibilities to save the deal without Washington needed to be discussed with Tehran, while France's Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said EU states would propose sanctions-blocking measures to the European Commission.

A member of Iran's clerical elite said yesterday Europeans could not be trusted after President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran would remain in nuclear deal with world powers.