Iran to break limit of uranium enrichment in fresh setback to nuclear deal

Iran has confirmed it is increasing its level of uranium enrichment — breaking a limit which was set under a 2015 deal with world powers.

Iran has also warned that the country would start enriching uranium above the 3.67 percent threshold provided for by the JCPOA, starting 7 July, if Tehran’s conditions were not met.

Iran said it will enrich uranium to the level needed to produce fuel for a nuclear power plant, which officials said was 5%.

Iran’s decision came less than a week after it admitted it had amassed more low-enriched uranium than the 300kg (661 lbs) allowed under the pact.

As a result, President Donald Trump issued a warning to the country and told reporters outside the White House that Iran was “playing with fire”.

Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron told his Iranian counterpart Saturday that he was deeply concerned by any further weakening of the 2015 nuclear deal and further warned of consequences.

“The president recalled his deep concern in the face of the risk of a new weakening of the 2015 nuclear accord, and the consequences that would necessarily follow,” a statement from the French presidency said.

The French president argued that he had reached an agreement with Rouhani “to explore by 15 July conditions to resume dialogue between the parties.”

On 8 May 2018 US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the JCPOA over Iran’s alleged violations of the agreement.