This archive report was first published on 7 July 2019.
Iran has taken a significant step in escalating tensions with the international community by announcing plans to further scale back its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal. The move, confirmed on Sunday, comes as the country faces increasing pressure from US sanctions.
According to Iranian officials, the country will continue to reduce its commitments to the deal every 60 days unless signatories take action to protect it from US sanctions. This decision has left the door open to diplomacy, but also raises concerns about the country's nuclear ambitions.
Iran's Atomic Energy Organization spokesman, Behrouz Kamalvandi, stated that the country will enrich uranium based on its needs, with the current focus on producing fuel for the Bushehr nuclear power plant. This move is significant, as Iran had previously produced 20% enriched uranium for its Tehran reactor and had a 5% enrichment level for the Bushehr plant.
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed concern over the situation, with his office stating that he will continue to engage in dialogue with Iranian authorities and other parties to de-escalate tensions related to the Iranian nuclear issue. Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have agreed to seek conditions for a resumption of dialogue by July 15.
The 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was reached between Iran and world powers, including the US, France, and the UK. The deal allowed Iran to enrich uranium to 3.67%, well below the 20% it was producing before the deal and the roughly 90% suitable for a nuclear weapon.
Long-tense relations between Tehran and Washington took a turn for the worse in May 2018, when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal and reimposed sanctions. This move has led to a significant escalation of tensions between the two countries.
