European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini stressed that any additional diplomatic efforts on Iran could not replace the nuclear deal | Jussi Nukari| AFP via Getty Images EU backs new diplomatic efforts but Iran deal must stay: Mogherini The nuclear deal will continue to serve as the basis for the EU’s engagement with Tehran, the bloc’s top diplomat said.

The EU welcomes fresh diplomatic efforts toward Iran but remains committed to the nuclear deal, the bloc's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Friday.

Mogherini, asked whether developments at the G7 in France last weekend, such as Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's surprise appearance, were a game changer regarding de-escalation with Tehran, said that the nuclear deal remained the basis for Brussels' diplomatic engagement with Iran.

At the summit, U.S. President Donald Trump — who, having withdrawn from the 2015 nuclear deal, is pursuing a policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran — suggested that holding direct talks with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani had become a realistic possibility.

"Any development that goes in the direction of talks, contacts, channels that open up and diplomacy, is welcomed and supported by the European Union," Mogherini said, speaking at a press conference in Helsinki following an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers.

"Obviously, what happened in Biarritz a few days ago, goes in that direction and is extremely welcomed and supported by the European Union," she added.

But Mogherini stressed that any additional diplomatic efforts could not replace the nuclear deal, saying: "Our work to preserve the full compliance of the nuclear deal with Iran also continues. If something else adds up to that, that would be very positive news, but this is the basis on which the European Union is committed to preserving what we have."

On the sidelines of the Helsinki meeting, Mogherini also met with the ministers of the E3, the three EU signatories to the Iran deal — Germany, France and the U.K. — "to update each other and see what kind of follow up we can give to the Biarritz events."