Supporters of the Iran nuclear agreement, which settled a decade-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme and averted the risk of yet another war in the Middle East, have argued it is vital to preserve it at the time of simmering tensions with North Korea, which has escalated the crisis by conducing its sixth nuclear test and a series of intermediate and intercontinental missile tests.

Trump has reportedly decided to decertify Iran’s compliance with the landmark nuclear deal next week. On Thursday, he told a meeting of US military leaders that Tehran was not living up to the “spirit of the agreement” and cryptically added they were witnessing “the calm before the storm”.

The European Union, in contrast, has said that it is doing everything it can to salvage the deal in the event of a US withdrawal. The EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said last month after facilitating a meeting of foreign ministers in New York, that Iran was abiding by the agreement and “there is no need to reopen the agreement because it’s fully delivering”.

In remarks which appeared to be aimed at Trump’s threats, she said: “The agreement is being implemented. It’s working. It’s delivering. It’s not for one party or the other to certify this. It’s for the IAEA, with its technical independent role, to provide us reports and it’s for the entire Joint Commission to monitor the implementation of all this.”

Sir Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Tehran, said this award is “a challenge to the International Community, led by the UN Security Council, to protect this historic non-proliferation agreement [Iran deal], which is vital for regional peace, from its detractors.”