Iran on Sunday announced it has broken through the limits of the 2015 multinational nuclear deal, in a calculated challenge to the Trump administration and to European nations who have desperately sought to protect the deal that President Trump repudiated last year.
The move, which Tehran claimed was “reversible,” puts Iran on a faster timeline needed to develop a nuclear bomb — although experts estimate that it would take Tehran about a year to make such a weapon — and could spark a quick escalation for global sanctions to be reimposed that have slammed Iran’s economy.
President Trump warned Tehran on Sunday that “Iran better be careful.” He didn’t elaborate on what actions the U.S. might consider, but told reporters: “Iran’s doing a lot of bad things.”
During a press conference Sunday, Iran’s nuclear agency spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said “the enrichment of about 3.65% will begin and tomorrow early in the morning when the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Association] takes the sample, we have gone beyond 3.67%.”
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) allows the nation to have no more than about 661 pounds of uranium enriched to a maximum of 3.67%.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo immediately condemned Iran’s announcement, predicting it will only lead to “further isolation and sanctions” for Tehran.
Calling for a tougher global stand against Iran, Mr. Pompeo said in a statement, “Nations should restore the longstanding standard of no enrichment for Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s regime, armed with nuclear weapons, would pose an even greater danger to the world.”
Iran says it is justified in breaking its commitment in light of the U.S. withdrawal and harsh sanctions the Trump administration is putting on any country that tries to deal with the Iranian economy.
A spokesperson for the IAEA told The Washington Times, “We are aware of Iran’s announcement related to its uranium enrichment level. IAEA inspectors in Iran will report to our headquarters as soon as they verify the announced development.”
Iran’s latest move comes just one week after announcing it had broken through the international limit on its stockpile of uranium in the nuclear deal and was poised to dramatically ramp up enrichment.
Mr. Kamalvandi on Sunday cited the end of the 60-day period for Iran to come to a diplomatic agreement with the European Union to find a way around U.S. oil and banking restrictions and save the nuclear agreement.
The other signatories to the deal — France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China — all say they want to preserve it despite the American pullout.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Sunday insisted the move is within Iran’s rights under the agreement and tweeted, “We reserve the right to continue to exercise legal remedies within JCPOA to protect our interests in the face of U.S. economic terrorism.”
Although the enrichment levels do not mean that Iran immediately has the material needed for a nuclear weapon, it highlights the increasingly aggressive response to reimposed U.S. economic sanctions and continued threats of military force. Iranian officials stressed that no new or modernized centrifuges were being used for the latest move, and Mr. Zarif said Iran’s actions were “reversible” if the Europeans could hold up their side of the original bargain.
On the heels of Iran’s alleged oil tanker bombings in the Gulf of Oman and downing of an American drone, some analysts say Iran’s declaration is further proof that Iran has settled on a provocative strategy to pressure Washington and its allies back to the negotiating table — or put the blame on Washington if conflict breaks out.
But the U.S. pressure campaign and Iran’s aggressive response have put European powers in an increasingly difficult bind.
An official for French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Iran’s move and told Reuters that Tehran’s actions are in “violation” of the agreement. But Mr. Macron said over the weekend said he and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in the next week will confer on how to revive moribund talks on the deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, long a critic of the 2015 deal negotiated under President Obama, said that while Iran’s move is a “very dangerous step, but added that it was “not terrible, because it is just a small step.”
But Mr. Netanyahu needled European countries who pledged the nuclear deal would moderate Iranian behavior in other areas, especially its support of terrorist and proxy groups across the Middle East hostile to the U.S. and its allies.
Both the U.S. and Israel contend that has not happened, while the deal when it expires will give Tehran a green light to pursue nuclear weapons.
The IAEA Board of Governors is meeting this week to discuss Iran’s latest moves.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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