The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, has stressed that France, Germany and the UK have agreed to maintain trade with Iran independent from the US dollar.

Russia’s foreign minister added:  "The decision particularly concerns small and medium-sized companies. Everyone agrees that this [US sanctions] is an absolutely illegal and unacceptable policy, but, of course, this can hardly be changed and there will be enough struggle in trade, economic and political spheres."

European companies are under increasing pressure from Washington to cut business ties with Tehran.

Since the majority of transactions are currently conducted using the US dollar, firms working in Iran face potential US penalties.

Last week, EU lawmakers gave approval for the European Investment Bank (EIB) to do business in Iran in an attempt to save the 2015 nuclear deal.

On May 8, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to quit the landmark nuclear deal and vowed to reimpose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Tehran, triggering global criticism.

Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has underlined that any decision to keep the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) running without the US should be conditional on “practical guarantees” from the Europeans.