ROME, May 10. /TASS/. Washington’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for the Iranian nuclear program may trigger military activities in the Middle East, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov told reporters on Thursday.

"The situation in the Middle East is complicated and now it will become even more complicated and may lead to military activities," he said, adding that "the reason is that Iran will give a relevant response."

The senior Russian diplomat pointed out that "the US policy towards this region has been aimed at driving Iran out," while Iran, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Hezbollah Shia movement "have been fighting terrorism." According to Syromotov "chances are that it will result in local conflicts."

The Russian deputy foreign minister also said that the "the coalition’s air forces and Israel are now targeting the positions of Hezbollah and the IRGC in Syria. "If this is not military activities, then what is it?" Syromolotov said.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced Washington’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which imposed restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities in return for the removal of the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions and unilateral US sanctions. According to Trump, the JCPOA left the door open for Iran to circumvent restrictions and develop a nuclear bomb. The US president said that old sanctions would be restored and new ones would be introduced in case Tehran attempted to pursue its nuclear ambitions. At the same time, Trump called for making a new agreement.