Iran announced yesterday that it is now enriching uranium up to 5%, after a series of steps in which it fell short of its obligations under the 2015 agreement, which Washington withdrew from it. We have been asked to produce 5%, "he said, adding that" Iran has the ability to enrich uranium at 5, 20 and 60%, or whatever. "
It remains 5% below Iran's 20%, and well below the 90% needed for a nuclear bomb.
The deal set a 3.67% enrichment ceiling, but Iran said it would not comply, after Washington unilaterally abandoned the deal last year and imposed tough sanctions.
The Iranian move came a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described how Iran had dealt with an IAEA inspector as an act of "outrageous intimidation."
"Earlier this week, we learned that Iran had detained an IAEA inspector," he said in a statement.
The IAEA said its inspector was briefly banned from leaving Iran last week, describing her treatment as "unacceptable."
The US position comes amid a tense atmosphere between Washington and Tehran, following Iran's announcement to resume its uranium enrichment activities at Fordo's underground facility.
"The United States fully supports the IAEA's follow-up and verification activities in Iran, and we are concerned that there is not enough cooperation from Iran," the statement said.
Tehran's move comes the day after Pompeo accused Iran of "outrageous intimidation."