VIENNA - Foreign ministers from Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran and Russia met here on Friday to discuss how to save the Iranian nuclear deal after US withdrawal.

The meeting, held during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Vienna this week, was the first foreign ministers' meeting by parties remaining within the deal known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and is expected to deliver a positive signal and build confidence.

Rouhani said Tehran would stick to the deal only if Iran's interests are secured by the stake holders as the United States is re-imposing tough sanctions on Iran.

Until last month, Tehran has been cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the deal.

Rouhani said Thursday that the proposal package offered by the European Union (EU) does not secure Iran's interests in the 2015 international nuclear deal.

"Unfortunately, in the proposed package, there is no practical measure and specific strategy for cooperation," Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday expressed belief that the foreign ministers' meeting on the Iran nuclear issue would surely send a clear signal of solidarity to maintain and implement the deal.

Iran signed the landmark nuclear deal with the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany in 2015 to halt its nuclear weapons program in exchange for sanctions relief.

However, US President Donald Trump decided on May 8 to quit the Iranian nuclear deal and vowed to re-impose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Tehran.