Iran's nuclear deal: government announces violation of enrichment

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Iran has announced it will exceed uranium enrichment set beyond the historic agreement of 2015 aimed at limiting its nuclear ambitions.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Iran still wanted to save the deal, but accused European countries of not honoring their own commitments.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018.

He has since reimposed severe sanctions on the Iranian economy.

The Iranian announcement marks the last violation of the agreement.

In May, Iran intensified its production of enriched uranium, which can be used to manufacture fuel for reactors but also for nuclear weapons.

The country has already stored more enriched uranium than it allows under the terms of the agreement.

Iran has firmly denied the intention to build nuclear weapons.

What has Iran announced?

On the anniversary of the withdrawal of the United States, Iran gave a 60-day deadline to the remaining signatories of the agreement – China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom – to protect it. sanctions imposed by the United States.

At a press conference Sunday at the end of this deadline, Araqshi said Iran would start enriching uranium at a concentration above 3.67 percent in a few hours, to supply fuel to its Bushehr power station.

Copyright of the EPA image

Image caption Iran says enriched uranium will be used to power its Bushehr power plant

Officials previously said that would mean a concentration of about 5%. Military grade uranium is enriched to 90% or more.

However, the spokesman of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said that Iran would not manufacture fuel for its Tehran reactor, which requires a concentration of 20 %.

"We will enrich uranium according to our needs," he said. "At the moment, we do not need to enrich uranium for the Tehran reactor."

Mr Araqchi said that Iran would continue to reduce its commitment to the 2015 agreement every 60 days.

But he also stressed that diplomacy remains an option, provided sanctions are lifted.

Press ReleaseThe BBC's James Landale went to the Tehran Grand Bazaar to see what people think about severe sanctions

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz has already criticized this decision, saying that if the increase was "moderate", Iran had "started its march towards nuclear weapons" .

The announcement comes a day after French President Emmanuel Macron had an interview with Iranian President Hbadan Rouhani and expressed his "deep concern" about what would happen if the deal was abandoned.

A French statement said that the two leaders agreed to "explore by July 15 the conditions for a resumption of dialogue between all parties".

Rouhani called on European countries to act now to save the deal.

The end of the 2015 nuclear agreement to contain Iran's nuclear program seems to be getting closer and closer.

Iran's policy of gradual violations of the terms of the agreement is perceived in Tehran as a way to put pressure on Europeans to relieve the impact of US economic sanctions.

But they can do virtually nothing to alleviate the disastrous economic situation of Iran. The Europeans want the deal to survive, but they are caught between Tehran and Washington.

This is a slow-motion diplomatic car crash – since the US withdrew from the agreement a year ago.

The telephone conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart saved a little more time for consultations. Europeans are struggling to postpone the moment when they must declare the death of the nuclear deal.

But at some point, if Iran continues to reduce its limits and restrictions, there may not be much choice.

What is the nuclear deal?

In 2015, six countries signed the Joint Global Action Plan to curb the Iranian nuclear program.

Tehran agreed to let international inspectors in and limit its nuclear activities, in exchange for the end of strict economic sanctions.

Under the agreement, Iran is only allowed to produce low-enriched uranium, which has a U-235 concentration of 3 to 4%, and which can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants.

The agreement also limited Iran to not store more than 300 kg (661 lb) of low enriched uranium.

According to the Arms Control Association, a stock of 1,050 kg could be further enriched in enough material to build a bomb,