Iran’s increase in nuclear production threatens to escalate conflict with the US, CNBC reported. Iranian production of low enriched uranium has increased fourfold, a official in Natanz nuclear facility confirmed. The move comes a week after Iran officially stopped some commitments under an international nuclear accord.
Under the agreement, Tehran was allowed to produce low-enriched uranium with a 300-kg limit.
Tehran could ship the excess amounts out of the country for storage or sale.
Iran said this month the cap no longer applies as it scaled down commitments in reaction to US unilateral withdrawal from the deal.
Richard Nephew, a lead sanctions expert for the State Department team told CNBC: “The comparison here is they were already going 55 miles per hour and heading towards a busted bridge.
READ MORE: Iran WARNING: ‘Do NOT underestimate United States’ UK tells Iran
“So what the information is saying is that they threw a brick on the accelerator.
“They would have eventually breached the threshold. What they’re saying today is they are deliberately and intentionally trying to breach the threshold faster.”
Washington quit the nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions on it.
US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions aimed at blocking all Iranian oil exports to cripple its economy, declared it would scale back some commitments under the accord it signed with six world powers.
Trump has condemned the accord, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Iran’s ballistic missile programme and role in conflicts around the Middle East.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told Tasnim: “It won’t be long until we pass the 300-kg limit of low enriched uranium.
“So it’s better for the other side to do what it’s necessary to be done.”
He added the acceleration of Iran’s centrifuge enrichment machines remained within the bounds of the nuclear deal, and Tehran had no intention to exit the accord.