TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has announced a new cut in its commitments to the nuclear deal signed in 2015 and has decided to bypass the ban on uranium enrichment and has threatened to give up its commitments in the coming period. Tehran has increased the level of enrichment of uranium to the extent allowed by the agreement. The EU expressed deep concern about Iran's decision to increase uranium enrichment above the agreed level. Britain and Germany urged Tehran to stop all activities that run counter to its obligations.
In a joint press conference with senior Iranian officials, Iran's government spokesman Ali Rubaie announced on Monday that Iran was implementing a second step in reducing its commitments under the nuclear deal. "We will officially begin exceeding the 3.67 percent level of uranium enrichment," he said.
"If the Europeans can not meet our demands, we will continue to reduce our commitments step by step. Our steps give 60 days to other parties to find solutions before embarking on the next phase of reducing commitments," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghji.
At the same time, he stressed that the diplomatic track is still open, but what is important is to meet Tehran's demands, especially with regard to the sale of oil and the receipt of revenues. He pointed out that Iran can at any moment return its measures in the event of fulfillment of its demands and described Washington's request to the International Energy Agency A meeting on the nuclear deal was derided as "more like a joke."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Tuesday that all measures taken by his country to reduce its commitment to the terms of the nuclear agreement could be reversed if the European countries sign the agreement. The second round of its corrective steps on paragraph 36 of the nuclear agreement, we reserve the right to continue to take legitimate corrective action on the agreement to protect our interests. "
Iranian President Hassan Rowhani announced earlier that his country would raise the level of enrichment, starting yesterday, which represents the second phase of the reduction of the obligations of Iran provided for in the nuclear agreement, said Rowhani: "As of July 7, the level of nuclear enrichment in Iran At 3.67%, we will raise it to the extent we want and meet necessity and need ».
For his part, the spokesman of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Behrooz Kamalundi, told reporters that Iran will resume within hours of uranium enrichment at a level higher than 3.67% pending the settlement of some technical details, and did not disclose the number of specific quantum purity of uranium that Iran intends to achieve, Saying only that he had been ordered to enrich as much as his country needed.
Iran's current needs for what it described as "peaceful activities" necessitate a 5 percent enrichment of uranium to feed its nuclear power plant in Bushehr, Iran's supreme leader Ali Akbar Velayati said.
In contrast, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced yesterday that the IAEA inspectors in Iran will report to the IAEA once they are sure that Tehran will increase the level of uranium enrichment to the extent allowed by the nuclear agreement. "We are aware of Iran's declaration, On the level of uranium enrichment, the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Iran will report to our headquarters as soon as they verify the progress announced by Iran. "
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is due to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow, at the request of the United States, to discuss Iran's violation of the terms of the agreement. The US national security adviser, John Bolton, said earlier that "the meeting will discuss Iran's illegal nuclear activities, Its secret archive of weapons, Iran must be under pressure to abandon its nuclear ambitions ».
The European Union expressed deep concern over Iran's decision to increase uranium enrichment beyond the agreed level of 3.67%. "We are very concerned about Iran's announcement," EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mugirini said. Of measures that undermine the nuclear agreement, and communicate with other parties involved in the agreement on the next steps in accordance with the terms of the agreement ».
The British Foreign Office announced yesterday that Iran has violated the terms of the nuclear agreement signed in 2015 and must stop immediately and abandon its activities. "Iran has violated the terms of the agreement, and although the UK remains committed to the agreement in full, Iran must stop immediately, For all activities contrary to its obligations, we coordinate with the parties to the other nuclear agreement on the next steps in accordance with the terms of the agreement ».
In the same context, Germany urged Iran to stop taking measures that would undermine the nuclear agreement. "We are deeply concerned that Iran has announced that it has begun enriching uranium above its permitted level, and strongly urges Iran to stop all activities that are contrary to its obligations, Under the nuclear agreement and abandon them », the ministry said that Germany is in contact with Britain and France, the other two European partners in the nuclear agreement, to determine the next steps.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Iran's announcement that it would increase uranium enrichment as a "very dangerous step" and repeated calls for France, Britain and Germany to impose sanctions on Iran and warned at his weekly cabinet meeting that Iran's uranium enrichment had one goal: Atomic bombs. "
Britain calls on Iran to abandon its nuclear activities .. Germany urges them to stop undermining the agreement.
EU: We communicate with other parties involved in the agreement on the next steps.