BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's top diplomat says the United States stepping away from a landmark nuclear deal would be counterproductive and insisted other disputes with Tehran should be tackled otherwise.

Federica Mogherini said Tuesday after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that the EU attaches great importance on upholding the agreement, adding that scrapping the deal "would not put us in a better position to discuss all the rest, on the contrary."

Under the 2015 accord, Iran curbed its nuclear program in exchange for an easing of international economic sanctions.

Tillerson stressed, however, that "Iran is carrying out a number of other destabilizing activities throughout the region" and called for joint action to counter it.