In the aftermath of Trump's withdrawal from the Iran deal, reactions have poured in from across Europe. Mariam Zaidi has more from the EU capital of Brussels.

It came as no surprise. And Donald Trump's decision on Tuesday to take the US out of the Iran Nuclear deal and impose the "toughest sanctions possible" was met with force in Europe.

FEDERICA MOGHERINI EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS CHIEF "The nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement and it is not in the hands of any single country to terminate it unilaterally. The nuclear deal with Iran is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy. It belongs to the entire international community. It has been working and it is delivering on its goal, which is guaranteeing that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons. The European Union is determined to preserve it. We expect the rest of the international community to continue to do its part to guarantee that it continues to be fully implemented, for the sake of our own collective security."

Leaders of France, Germany and the UK - signatories to the deal - also issued a joint statement underlining their continued support with France's President Emmanuel Macron also warning that nuclear non-proliferation is now at stake.

This seems to have been enough to keep Iran on side for now. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani saying on Wednesday that his government remains committed to the deal.

But European support could be tested if Trump follows through with retaliatory sanctions on economic interests in Iran, according to a Berlin-based foreign policy expert.

CORNELIUS ADEBAHR, FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT CARNEGIE EUROPE THINK TANK "Iran expects a clear commitment and Iran also expects to see that the Europeans are defending the deal against the US and not aligning themselves with them sometime down the road. So it's a very political confrontation. It doesn't have to immediately translate into billions of dollars of investment shielded from US sanctions."

MARIAM ZAIDI BRUSSELS "And those EU next steps will be determined by the extent to which Donald Trump will make good on his threats, to punish those deemed in collusion with Iran. But if Iran stays in the deal, Europe will be bound - by principle - to play their part to ensure - as Ms Mogherini said - the protection of the bloc's economic and security interests in the region. Potentially putting the bloc at odds with their closest partner and friend. Mariam Zaidi, CGTN Brussels."