Moscow hopes US-Iran deal safe after Tehran threat to resume nuke program

The US Congress earlier this month approved a series of sanctions against Iran for its nuke program

Moscow hopes the US will refrain from unilateral steps leading to the collapse of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"I hope that the US will not violate the obligations it has assumed," Xinhua news agency quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Wednesday.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned Tuesday that Iran's nuclear program could be restarted within hours if the US administration imposes additional sanctions on Tehran.

The US Congress earlier this month approved a series of new sanctions against Iran for its ballistic missile program and other activities in the region.

Iran said these tests did not go against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action it signed in July 2015 with the US, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union on stopping its nuclear program.

Lavrov condemned the new US sanctions as illegitimate and capable of "undermining and destroying the carefully built balance" reached to curb Iran's nuclear program.

He said Russia upholds the principle of abstaining from unilateral sanctions but honours the measures of influence agreed upon within the UN Security Council.

"The Americans are categorically against the principle ... We will necessarily defend it (the principle) in all future discussions," Lavrov said.