Iran urges EU to speed up efforts to save nuclear deal

ANKARA, Aug 20 (Reuters): Iran urged Europe on Monday to speed up efforts to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that US President Donald Trump abandoned in May, saying French oil group Total has formally pulled out a major gas project.

Efforts by the remaining signatories - EU members Britain, France and Germany plus China and Russia - to avoid the agreement's collapse are struggling as Washington has said any firms dealing with Teheran will be barred from doing business in the United States.

"Europeans and other signatories of the deal have been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow.

It should be accelerated," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.

"Iran relies mainly on its own capabilities to overcome America's new sanctions," he told a news conference broadcast on state TV.