Iran will exceed the uranium stockpile limit set by the Obama-era nuclear deal in the next 10 days, the spokesman for the country’s atomic energy agency said on Monday.
“Iran’s reserves are every day increasing at a more rapid rate. And if it is important for them (Europe) to safeguard the accord, they should make their best efforts,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Association. “As soon as they carry out their commitments, things will naturally go back to their original state.”
He said there is still time to keep under the limit “if European countries act.”
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also warned that time was of the essence.
“The current situation is very critical and France and the other parties to the (deal) still have a very limited opportunity to play their historic role for saving the deal,” Rouhani said, the Associated Press reported.
President Trump withdrew the US from the accord negotiated by the Obama administration in 2015 with Iran and a number of world powers — Russia, China, France, England and Germany.
After pulling out of the deal in 2018, Trump reimposed sanctions against Tehran and ended waivers that allowed some countries to buy Iranian oil.
The nuclear deal allows Iran to keep a stockpile of no more than 660 pounds of low-enriched uranium.
But Kamalvandi said Iran’s decision to ramp up production of low-enriched uranium will mean the country will surpass the 660-pound limit on June 27.
The development comes at a time of escalating tensions between the US and Iran after two oil tankers were attacked last week in the Gulf of Oman.
The US accused Iran of carrying out the attacks in an effort to disrupt shipping in the strategic waterway.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the administration is “considering a full range of options,” including military force, to counter Iran in the region.
Last month, Washington sent the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to Qatar after US intelligence said it had picked up threats by Iran to attack US troops in the Middle East.
And the president’s national security team is expected to meet this week to discuss whether to send more military equipment to the region after the oil tanker attacks, CNN reported.
The talks were focused on defending and deterring Iran’s aggressive tactics.
Instead of boots on the ground, the officials were considering sending additional Patriot missile batteries, more fighter jets and ships.
With Post wires