Iran confirms beyond the limits of the stockpile of uranium provided for «nuclear»

TEHRAN - Iran has exceeded its limit on the stockpile of enriched uranium under the nuclear deal signed in 2015 with world powers in defiance of European countries' demand that it be bound by the US sanctions, the ISNA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying yesterday. , But Zarif acknowledged the benefits of the regime of his country from the nuclear agreement signed in 2015 between Tehran and the world powers, and said that the agreement launched the hand of Iran in the region.

Zarif confirmed Iran was skipping 300 kg of uranium hexafluoride (UF6), but Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Iran's steps to reduce its obligations under the nuclear deal "could be reversed."

Moussaoui urged European countries to step up efforts to salvage the deal and were quoted by state television as saying, "Time is running out for them to save the deal."

Earlier in the day, Zarif said his country would never succumb to US pressure, and Washington should show respect for Tehran if it wanted to talk to it.

"Iran will never be under pressure from the United States," he said in a speech broadcast on state television. America must try to respect Iran. If they want to talk to Iran, they should show respect. "

But Zarif, in the same speech, acknowledged the benefits of the regime of his country from the nuclear agreement signed in 2015 between Tehran and the world powers, and said that the agreement launched the hand of Iran in the region.

"The Americans knew that the nuclear agreement freed Iran from the shackles and enabled it to progress and intensify its presence in the region," Zarif said.

He pointed to the Iranian activity in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and said: «The consolidation of the Iranian presence is offset by US isolation day after day», he said.

He also referred to what he called "the failure of Washington's attempts" to condemn Iran in the United Nations Security Council and the Chinese and Russian approach to dispense with the US dollar in its dealings with Iran.

For its part, the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday that its inspectors are investigating whether Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium has exceeded the limit allowed under the agreement. "We are aware of the media reports on Iran's stockpile of LEU. Our inspectors are on the ground and they will report to headquarters as soon as the inventory is verified. "

A low-level uranium enrichment of 3.6 percent of the fissile material is the first step in a process that could eventually allow Iran to provide sufficient stockpiles of highly enriched uranium to build a nuclear warhead.

Three diplomats following the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday that Iran had about 200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium (LEU), less than the 202.8 kg allowed.

And 300 kg of UF6 equivalent to 202.8 kg of LEU. After talks in Vienna on Friday, Iran said European countries had not provided enough trade support to Tehran to persuade it to stop transgressing the uranium enrichment threshold set out in the nuclear deal. Iran has taken the decision to reduce its obligations under the deal after the United States withdrew from it last year and returned it to impose sanctions on Tehran.

Mossad chief Yossi Cohen urged the international community to prevent Iran from "accelerating the pace of enrichment."

"Just imagine what would happen if the stocks of Iranian material became fissionable at the level of enrichment for military purposes, and then became a bomb," he told a security conference in Herzliya before Zarif's remarks. The Middle East will be a different place and then the whole world, so the world should not let that happen. "

Washington stepped up pressure on Tehran in May when it ordered all countries to stop importing Iranian oil, and since then tensions have been rising in the region.

Washington also sent additional troops to the Middle East and nearly US fighter jets launched air strikes on Iran last month after Tehran dropped a US aircraft march. Tensions have risen sharply between Tehran and Washington in the past few weeks, a year after Washington withdrew from a nuclear deal signed in 2015 between Iran and major powers to curb Iran's nuclear program in return for lifting international financial sanctions.

US President Donald Trump called for talks with the Iranian regime "without preconditions." Tehran has ruled out that Trump should return to the agreement if he wants to negotiate with it.

Trump imposed sanctions on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian officials in an unprecedented step to step up pressure. Tehran called the sanctions "foolish" and warned the United States against violating its airspace. Washington said the plane was in international airspace when it was dropped by Iran.