Commander of Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri said on Wednesday that Iran is very interested in maintaining the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and strongly avoids any conflict with any country in any part of the world.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, have expressed their commitment to preserving the agreement, stressing, however, that there are increasing difficulties ahead.