The United States and the EU have been at loggerheads since Washington unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal last May and reinstated sanctions against Tehran, threatening to slap European allies with penalties if they continue doing business with the Islamic Republic.
Avoiding a military escalation would be the most responsible approach towards Iran, EU foreign ministers told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday during an impromptu trip to Brussels to discuss the recent tensions with Tehran.
Earlier in the day, The New York Times reported that the Pentagon had devised a plan to deploy 120,000 soldiers to the Middle East in the event of Iran deciding to accelerate nuclear weapons development or attack American forces.