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A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 8 July 2019

Iran steps further from nuke deal, adding pressure on Europe

By JON GAMBRELL The IAEA said it was aware
NASSER KARIMI of Iran’s comments and
Associated Press “inspectors in Iran will re-
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran port to our headquarters as
increased its uranium en- soon as they verify the an-
richment Sunday beyond nounced development.”
the limit allowed by its 2015 Ali Akbar Velayati, an aide
nuclear deal with world to Supreme Leader Ayatol-
powers, inching its program lah Ali Khamenei, made re-
closer toward weapons- marks in a video Saturday
grade levels while calling about Iran’s need for 5%
for a diplomatic solution to enrichment. Bushehr, Iran’s
a crisis heightening tensions only nuclear power plant,
with the U.S. is now running on imported
Iran’s move, coupled with fuel from Russia that’s en-
earlier abandoning the riched to around 5%.
deal’s limit on its low-en- Iranian Foreign Minister Mo-
riched uranium stockpile, hammad Javad Zarif sent
intensifies pressure on Eu- a letter to EU foreign policy
rope to find any effective chief Federica Mogherini
way around U.S. sanctions outlining the steps it had
that block Tehran’s oil sales taken, said Abbas Aragh-
abroad. From left to right, spokesman for Iran’s atomic agency Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran’s government chi, a deputy foreign min-
But the future of the ac- spokesman Ali Rabiei and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, attend a press briefing ister. Discussions with Euro-
cord that President Donald in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, July 7, 2019. pean powers are continu-
Trump unilaterally pulled Associated Press ing and ministerial-level
the U.S. from a year ago further isolation and sanc- talks are planned later this
remains in question. While tions. Nations should restore month, he said.
Iran’s recent measures the longstanding standard “We will give another 60-
could be easily reversed, of no enrichment for Iran’s day period, and then we
Europe has struggled to re- nuclear program. Iran’s re- will resume the reduction of
spond, even after getting gime, armed with nuclear our commitments,” Aragh-
a 60-day warning that the weapons, would pose an chi said, without elaborat-
increase was coming. even greater danger to the ing. On Saturday, French
Meanwhile, experts fear a world.” President Emmanuel Ma-
miscalculation in the crisis At a news conference, Ira- cron told his Iranian coun-
could explode into open nian officials said the new terpart, Hassan Rouhani,
conflict, as Trump already level of uranium enrich- in a phone call that he is
has nearly bombed Iran ment would be reached trying to find a way by July
over Tehran shooting down later in the day, but did not 15 to resume the dialogue
a U.S. military surveillance provide the percentage between Iran and Western
drone. they planned to hit. Under partners. It wasn’t clear if
International reaction to the nuclear deal, the cap July 15 carried any impor-
Iran’s decision came swift- for enrichment was set at tance. The U.S. has called
ly, with Britain warning Iran 3.67%, a percentage close- for a special IAEA meeting
to “immediately stop and ly monitored by inspec- for Wednesday to discuss
reverse all activities” vio- tors from the International Iran. Kamalvandi stressed
lating the deal, Germany Atomic Energy Agency, that Iran will continue to
saying it is “extremely con- the U.N.’s nuclear watch- use only slower, first-gen-
cerned,” and Israeli Prime dog. eration IR-1 centrifuges to
Minister Benjamin Netan- “Within hours, the techni- increase enrichment, as
yahu, a longtime critic of cal tasks will be done and well as keep the number
the accord, urging world enrichment above 3.67% of centrifuges in use under
powers to impose so-called will begin,” Iran nuclear the 5,060-limit set by the
“snapback sanctions” on agency spokesman Beh- nuclear deal. Iran has the
Tehran. rouz Kamalvandi said. “We technical ability to build
U.S. Secretary of State Mike predict that the IAEA mea- and operate advanced
Pompeo tweeted: “Iran’s surements early tomorrow centrifuges that work faster
latest expansion of its nu- morning will show that we but is barred from doing so
clear program will lead to have gone beyond 3.67%.” under the deal.q