European politician warns US-Iran feud could prompt refugee influx

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has warned of a new refugee crisis in the event of an escalation in the conflict between Iran and the United States.

"If the situation between Washington and Tehran continues to escalate, there is a danger that 3 million Afghans living in the country will leave Iran," Asselborn told the Sunday edition of Die Welt newspaper in comments seen in advance by dpa.

Most of them would then probably not return to Afghanistan because of the security situation, but flee to Turkey and then to Europe, the minister added.

"There is a risk of a huge wave of refugees, which presents Europe with great challenges."

He accused US President Donald Trump of having made a "total misstep" by leaving the international nuclear deal with Iran last year. In fact, the US has broken the contract, he said.

The 2015 agreement had given more security to Europe and the world, according to Asselborn.

At the same time he called on Iran not to go ahead with violating a central provision of the deal as announced from this Sunday.

After years of tough negotiations, the UN security council members with veto powers, Germany and Iran agreed in Vienna in 2015 to an agreement that limited Tehran's ambitions as a nuclear power.

The deal put the Iranian nuclear industry under international scrutiny and promised the dismantling of Western economic sanctions on Iran in exchange.

However, the US has reimposed tough sanctions on the Islamic Republic since it left the deal.