Asia is home to Iran’s biggest trade partners and oil importers, potentially making its companies the most exposed if the US reimposes sanctions on the Islamic Republic after Donald Trump’s withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal with the country.

But while some companies in the region have already stopped, or plan to stop, trade with Iran, leading partners — notably China — are likely to continue doing business there, say analysts.

Individual countries would not be forced to comply with any new US sanctions imposed after Mr Trump withdrew from the landmark deal — signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China and which gave Iran relief from some international sanctions in return for limits on its nuclear programme. But the US could potentially retaliate against companies that maintain business links with Iran.