Iran halts nuclear deal commitments

Iran has officially stopped some commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, following an order from its national security council, the ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

Recently, Iran notified China, France, Germany, Russia, and the UK of its decision to halt some commitments under the nuclear deal, a year after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the accord and re-imposed sanctions.

Under the nuclear deal, Tehran was allowed to produce low-enriched uranium with a 300-kg limit and produce heavy water with a stock capped around 130 tonnes.

Tehran could ship the excess amounts out of the country for storage or sale.

The official said Iran has no limit from now for production of enriched uranium and heavy water.

Report says Iran’s initial moves do not appear to violate the nuclear deal yet.

However, Iran has warned that unless the world powers protect Iran’s economy from U.S. sanctions within 60 days, Iran would start enriching uranium at higher level.

The European Union and the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain said they were still committed to the deal but would not accept ultimatums from Tehran.

The deal also caps the level of purity to which Iran can enrich uranium at 3.67 per cent, far below the 90 per cent of weapons grade.

It is also well below the 20 per cent level to which Iran enriched uranium before the deal.

Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday said that Tehran does not seek war with the U.S., in spite of mounting tensions between the two arch-enemies over Iranian nuclear capabilities and its missile programme.

Khamenei also said Tehran would not negotiate with the U.S. on another nuclear deal.

(Reuters/NAN)