Tehran, May 13: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif left for Beijing from Tehran on Sunday for talks on the 2015 nuclear deal following United States President Donald Trump's decision to abandon the agreement. During his visit to China, Zarif is set to head a high-ranking political-economic delegation.

The Iranian Foreign Minister will next visit Russia and some European countries. The purpose of his visit would be to exchange views with leaders of the respective countries on the developments of the Iranian nuclear issue, Xinhua reported.

After the US departure from the nuclear deal, Iran is making sure that the deal survives under all circumstances. On May 8, President Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which limited the country's uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief and imposing the highest level of economic sanctions on Tehran, triggering global outcry.

Calling the accord as an "embarrassment" that was "defective at its core," Trump also warned of severe consequences if Iran resumes its nuclear programme. The Iran nuclear deal was signed between six countries in 2015 - Iran, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China for lifting economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limitations to the country's nuclear programme.