Iran nuclear deal: Tehran to lift cap on uranium enrichment

Wed 08 May 2019:

A year after US pullout from agreement, Iran says it is no longer committed to parts of the deal with world powers.

Iran has decided to suspend some of its commitments under a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, the foreign ministry announced on Wednesday. “The decision of the high security council to ‘stop acting on some of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s commitments under the (nuclear deal)’ was communicated to the heads of state of the countries still party to the deal — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia,” the ministry said.

Iranian state television reported that letters outlining the Islamic Republic’s partial withdrawal from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers have been delivered to ambassadors. State TV made the announcement Wednesday. It did not elaborate on what steps Iran planned to take. The letters were to be delivered to the leaders of Britain, China, the European Union, France and Germany, informing them of Iran’s decision to stop implementing “some commitments” under a 2015 nuclear deal.

All were signatories to the nuclear deal, which saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. A letter was also to go to Russia. The move came a year to the date President Donald Trump withdrew America from the accord. The letters will come as officials in the Islamic Republic previously warned that Iran might increase its uranium enrichment, potentially pulling away from a deal it has sought to salvage for months.

Enriching uranium

Iranian officials also said on Wednesday that Iran will no longer respect limits it agreed on its enriched uranium and heavy water stocks under a 2015 nuclear deal. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the measure was necessary to “secure its rights and bring back balance” after Washington’s abandonment of the agreement exactly one year ago on May 8, 2018. “The Islamic Republic of Iran does not at the current stage consider itself committed to observing restrictions regarding storing enriched uranium stocks and heavy water stocks,” the council said. “The remaining parties to the (deal) are given 60 days to implement their commitments, in particular in the fields of banking and oil,” it added.

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