A leaked International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report has shown that Iran is enriching uranium with up to 4.5 percent concentration of the isotope Uranium-235, which is above its formal limit. The IAEA has said Iran exceeded both a 202.8 kg limit on its enriched uranium stock and its 3.67 percent cap on the fissile purity to which it is allowed to refine uranium. President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear deal last year and since then tensions have soared between Washington and Tehran.
Mr Trump’s decision to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was viewed as highly controversial, particularly as three of America’s top allies, France, Germany and the UK were strongly opposed the move.
The sanctions Mr Trump imposed on Iran led to a downturn in Iran’s economy and pushed the value of its currency to record lows driving away foreign investors.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said that the European Union will work to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and welcomes any changes to its conditions.
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The EU believe that the deal is the best way to stop Iran developing nuclear bombs.
The entire deal has been in jeopardy since the United States withdrew from it last year and reimposed economic sanctions on Iran.
The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other international powers aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, has offered to chair a meeting between Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in a bid to replace the Iran nuclear agreement with a more durable deal.
However, Mr Rouhani has responded by saying there would be no positive developments in the US-Iran relationship unless the Trump administration lifted sanctions of reversed the measures taken against Iran.
Tensions also increased in the Gulf in June and July amid attacks on oil tankers.