BRUSSELS: The official supervising the agreement aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions is warning that Tehran’s decision to ramp up uranium enrichment could undermine efforts to keep the deal alive amid diplomatic efforts to bring the United States back on board. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Iran’s intention to enrich uranium up to 20 per cent at the Fordo underground nuclear facility “is a very serious development and a matter of deep concern,” and “has very severe proliferation implications.” Last week, Iran began enriching uranium to levels unseen since the deal was struck in 2015.
Iran has argued that it is no longer obliged to respect limits laid out in the pact, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, because President Donald Trump violated it first by pulling the United States out of the deal in 2018, which resulted in crippling sanctions on Iran’s moribund economy.
The deal offers Iran economic incentives in exchange for curbs on its…