Iran talking to Russia and China in case EU nuclear deal efforts fail: TASS

FILE PHOTO - Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council of Iran, attends the swearing-in ceremony for Iranian president Hassan Rouhani for a further term, at the parliament in Tehran

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Iran is in talks with Russia and China on a possible settlement mechanism in case discussions with EU over a nuclear deal fail, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security council, Ali Shamkhani, said, according to Russia's TASS news agency.

Tehran said in May it would reduce compliance with the nuclear pact it agreed with China, Russia and other world powers in 2015, in protest at the United States’ decision to unilaterally pull out of the agreement and reimpose sanctions last year.

Iran added that it would start enriching uranium at a higher level unless other European signatories to the deal protected its economy from the U.S. sanctions within 60 days.

The new U.S. sanctions have forced countries around the world to boycott Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.

Shamkhani said that Iran could solve the issue of exporting oil, according to TASS.

(Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva)