Over the last few weeks, relations between the US and Iran have been incredibly fragile following attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Moreover, Iran has already boasted that it will soon exceed the threshold for uranium enrichment that was established under the 2015 nuclear deal. In light of that announcement, Mr Pompeo has warned the Islamic Republic Republic that if it does exceed the limit, the US will be forced to carry out more sanctions on the country.
Mr Pompeo said on Sunday: “Iran’s latest expansion of its nuclear program will lead to further isolation and sanctions.
“Nations should restore the longstanding standard of no enrichment for Iran’s nuclear program.
“Iran’s regime, armed with nuclear weapons, would pose an even greater danger to the world.”
Earlier on Sunday Iran’s Deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi announced Tehran would enrich uranium beyond the 3.67 percent threshold.
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Although Iran has warned the world powers that it will continue to increase its enrichment to the level needed to produce fuel for a nuclear power plant, Iranian officials have also moved to de-escalate tensions between the two countries.
Iranian politician Ali Larijani insisted that the country “did not seek to gain nuclear weapons”.
Mr Larijani also insisted that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has banned the use of nuclear weapons despite Trump’s accusations against the Republic.
Despite those comments, the country has insisted that it will defend itself against any aggression after it shot down a US drone that intruded into its airspace last month.
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Moreover, one of the country’s senior military officials claimed last week that the US was terrified to go to war with the Islamic Republic.
Speaking of the country’s progression in military strength, Major General Hossein Salami, who heads up the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, praised his country’s armed forces.
He said: “In the military sphere, we have completely closed the path for the enemy.
“In the current situation it is the enemies who are worried about the outbreak of war and this worry is apparent in their physical and tactical behaviour.”