Rouhani: Iran can return to its commitments under nuclear deal within one hour

Rouhani: Iran can return to its commitments under nuclear deal within one hour
July 3, 2019, 9:05 am

Rouhani said that Iran could return to its commitments under nuclear deal within one hour. (File photo AFP)

Iran will increase its level of uranium enrichment after July 7 to whatever levels it needs beyond the 3.67 percent cap set in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, according to the IRIB news agency.

If the remaining signatories of the nuclear deal with world powers do not fulfill their promises, then the Arak nuclear reactor will return to its previous activities after July 7, Rouhani said.

Rouhani added that Iran could return to its commitments under nuclear deal within one hour.

The comments come as tensions remain high between Iran and the US over the deal, which President Donald Trump pulled America from over a year ago.

“Our advice to Europe and the United States is to go back to logic and to the negotiating table,” Rouhani added. “Go back to understanding, to respecting the law and resolutions of the UN Security Council. Under those conditions, all of us can abide by the nuclear deal.”

There was no immediate reaction in Europe, where the European Union just the day before finalized nominations to take over the bloc’s top posts.

On Tuesday, European powers separately issued a statement over Iran breaking through its stockpile limit, calling on Tehran “to reverse this step and to refrain from further measures that undermine the nuclear deal.”

Under the nuclear deal, Iran agreed to have less than 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of uranium enriched to a maximum of 3.67 percent. Both Iran and the UN’s nuclear watchdog agency confirmed Monday that Tehran had breached that limit.

An increasing stockpile and higher enrichment closes the estimated one-year window Iran would need to produce enough material for a nuclear bomb, something Iran denies it wants but the nuclear deal sought to prevent.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting in Tehran, Rouhani’s comments seemed to signal that Europe has yet to offer Iran anything to alleviate the pain of the renewed US sanctions targeting its oil industry and top officials.

“In any amount that we want, any amount that is required, we will take over 3.67,” Rouhani said.

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