According to IRNA, the official said Instex, Europe's trade channel with Iran, had failed to meet Iran’s demands which is why the country was taking its second step to reduce the level of its commitment with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The country on Sunday announced it was taking the second step to reduce its compliance with the JCPOA, a deal struck between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries of which the US abruptly pulled out one-sidedly back in May 2018.

Araghchi said the channel would not be effective unless Europeans bought crude oil from Iran or allocated credit to Iran which had not taken place so far.

British Royal Marines seized the supertanker Grace 1 on Thursday for allegedly trying to transport oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.

The Iranian official said that the tanker was not heading to Syria and no law supported the move by British Marines.