European Union foreign ministers were seeking to protect the bloc's strategic and economic interests in Iran in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear deal.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday that "nobody believes it is going to be an easy exercise but we are determined to do it."

The U.S. pulled out of the pact earlier this month, and wants to impose tough sanctions on Iran, while European powers and Tehran say they are committed to keep working together to save the deal.

Mogherini also stressed that the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran continues to stay below the maximum level to which it can enrich uranium and appears to be fulfilling other obligations.