DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran may further scale back compliance with its nuclear deal soon unless European countries shield it from U.S. sanctions through a trade mechanism, the head of Tehran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations was quoted as saying on Sunday.

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

“If Europeans don’t take measures within the 60-day deadline (announced by Iran in May), we will take new steps,” the semi-official news agency ISNA quoted Kamal Kharazi as saying. “It would be a positive steps if they put resources in (the planned European trade mechanism) Instex and ...make trade possible.”