India can play leading role in bringing US back into compliance with nuclear deal: Iran Foreign Minister

India can play a leading role in bringing the United States "back into compliance" with the 2015 nuclear deal signed between Iran and the P5+1 together with the European Union, Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Friday.

"The United States decided to withdraw from the (nuclear) deal in April 2018. We (Iran and the US) were meeting until April 2018. They decided to leave the deal. India can play a leading role in bringing them back into compliance with their agreement so that they can come back and join the negotiations. We will not reject that possibility," Zarif said while speaking to reporters here.

"India is a very dear friend of Iran, has good relations with the US. So it can encourage the US to come back to the negotiation table," he added.

The Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), is an agreement signed between Iran, European Union, China, France, US, Russia United Kingdom, and Germany in 2015. However, the US withdrew from the deal back in 2018, terming it as "defective at its core".

Under the agreement, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.

( With inputs from ANI )