Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that the country will restart its nuclear programme unless European powers meet a new list of demands in the wake of the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The UK, France and Germany must continue to buy Iranian crude oil and protect Iran’s markets and banking system from the impact of new US sanctions, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Iran’s continued adherence to the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), agreed under US President Barack Obama, is also contingent on the three European countries agreeing not to interfere with Iran’s non-nuclear weapons programmes or activities and involvement in conflicts across the Middle East, he added.

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All three demands fly in the face of competing calls from Washington DC for the European countries party to the JCPOA to toe the new, harsher US line on Iran.

US president Donald Trump announced earlier this month the US would withdraw from the JCPOA which lifted crippling international sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme designed to limit any ambition for nuclear weapons.

On Monday, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the US would impose “the strongest sanctions in history’ on the Islamic Republic.

The US has already reimposed old sanctions on Iran’s central bank. Mr Pompeo did not outline what further action will look like.

Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty

Any new rapprochement between Washington and Tehran would mean Iran would have to withdraw its forces in Syria and its support for Houthi rebels in Yemen, he added.

The decision to withdraw from the JCPOA has been condemned by the other parties of the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China, which have all pledged to continue to honour the deal.

European businesses in particular may now find themselves running afoul of US sanctions rules if they continue to explore financial opportunities with Iran – one of the world’s biggest oil producers.

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In Iran itself, however, there is growing anger at what foreign minister Javad Zarif called the “sham” of US diplomacy.

As well as Ayatollah Khamenei, the more moderate administration of president Hassan Rouhani has also reacted with anger to the US’s unilateral decision to scrap the deal.