New nuke deal breach

Iranian officials said yesterday that they would raise the enrichment of uranium beyond the limit agreed to in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, drawing warnings from all three European signatories to the agreement.

A week after it exceeded a cap on its stockpile of low-grade uranium, Iran will resume purifying uranium beyond the 3.67 per cent allowed under the agreement, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said in Tehran yesterday. Mr Rabiei said the move was under the orders of President Hassan Rouhani.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s declining oil sales and the effect of financial sanctions needed to be resolved or Tehran would further step back from its nuclear commitments. “We hope we can reach a solution, otherwise after 60 days we will take the third step as well,” Mr Araghchi said.

He said that Tehran would give further details at an “opportune moment”. Under the pact, Iran can enrich uranium to 3.67 per cent, well below the 20 per cent it was reaching before the deal. Nuclear weapons require uranium enriched to about 90 per cent. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo showed no signs of backing down to Iran’s threats. “Iran’s latest expansion of its nuclear programme will lead to further isolation and sanctions,” Mr Pompeo said on Twitter.

“Nations should restore the longstanding standard of no enrichment for Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran’s regime, armed with nuclear weapons, would pose an even greater danger to the world.” The moves have created a challenge for European nations who helped to negotiate the deal but are struggling to deliver relief from US sanctions, which Tehran had demanded by July 7.

European leaders have signalled that they will not rush to impose penalties on Iran, but they will find it increasingly hard to resist pressure from the Trump administration if Tehran abandons more commitments. French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday condemned the Iranian decision to further enrich uranium, a move he called a “violation” of the agreement