Iran to breach enriched uranium cap in 10 days: Atomic Energy Organization of Iran

Tehran: Iran’s atomic energy agency said here on Monday the country would breach on June 27 the limit, imposed under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, on its stockpile of enriched uranium. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said the speed of low-grade uranium enrichment had been increased four times since Tehran announced in May that it would stop complying with parts of the nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), after the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal.

“We have quadrupled the rate of enrichment and even increased it more recently so that in 10 days it will bypass the 300 kg limit,” AEAI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said in a televised statement from the Arak Nuclear Plant. In two months Iran would also surpass the 130 tonnes-limit of heavy water the historic deal allows it to store, Iranian news agency Mehr reported.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in May his country would scale back its compliance with the 2015 accord, which saw Tehran trade in much of its nuclear programme for a slight alleviation of international economic sanctions.

The AEOI spokesman, according to Efe news, said Iran had two theories as to why the European nations in the pact were unable to offer solutions: “The first, they don’t want to uphold their commitment, and, the second, they don’t have the ability to confront the US.” (IANS)

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