Iran blew past limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal on Monday and began enriching uranium to 4.5 percent, further jeopardizing the pact signed by world powers.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization acknowledged it exceeded the 3.67 percent limit a day after Tehran warned it would and a week after the country broke the 300-kilogram (660-pound) cap on its enriched uranium stockpile.
Reports in Iran’s semi-official news agencies cited Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the organization, suggesting that the country might consider enriching uranium up to 20 percent or beyond and restarting centrifuges that were shut down as part of the nuclear deal.
Uranium would have to be enriched to a 90 percent level to become weapons grade.
Iran has said it would take another step to pull away from the accord in another 60 days.
Tehran has been moving away from the agreement to pressure the parties that remain to stick to their obligations — even though the US has withdrawn — and to provide sanctions relief.
President Trump pulled the US out of the deal last year and reimposed economic sanctions against Iran.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi was not optimistic about reaching a diplomatic solution.
“If the remaining countries in the deal, especially the Europeans, do not fulfill their commitments seriously, and not do anything more than talk, Iran’s third step will be harder, more steadfast and somehow stunning,” Mousavi said.
Trump, who warned “Iran better be careful” on Sunday, canceled a military strike against the country last month after Washington accused Tehran of shooting down an unmanned surveillance drone.
The White House has also ratcheted up the US military presence in the region after it said Iran attacked two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman in an attempt to disrupt international shipping lanes.
The world powers remaining in the deal — Britain, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia and China — did not respond to Monday’s announcement but on Sunday they cautioned Iran not to take steps that would breach the deal.
With Post wires
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