Tehran breaches uranium cap set by nuclear accord

TEHRAN — Iran has broken the limit set on its stockpile of lowenriched uranium by its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, international inspectors and Tehran said Monday, marking its first major departure from the unraveling agreement a year after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the accord.

The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and later confirmation by the U.N. nuclear watchdog puts new pressure on European nations trying to save the deal amid President Trump’s campaign targeting Tehran. Iran separately threatens to raise its uranium enrichment closer to weaponsgrade levels on July 7 if Europe fails to offer it a new deal.

In response, the White House said Monday that its maximum pressure campaign will continue until Iran’s leaders change course.

The breach further heightens tensions across the wider Middle East in the wake of Iran recently shooting down a U.S. military surveillance drone and mysterious attacks on oil tankers that America and the Israelis blame on Tehran.

The European Union urged Iran to reverse course and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the action “a significant step toward making a nuclear weapon.” Iran has insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Though Trump pulled back from air strikes targeting Iran after the U.S. drone was shot down, Washington has rushed an aircraft carrier group, nuclearcapable bombers and thousands of additional troops to the region. The moves have raised fears that a miscalculation or further incidents could push the two sides into armed conflict, some 40 years after the Islamic Revolution and the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Under terms of the nuclear deal, Iran agreed to have less than 661 pounds of uranium enriched to a maximum of 3.67%. Previously, Iran enriched as high as 20%, which is a short technical step away from reaching weaponsgrade levels. It also held up to 22,046 pounds of the higherenriched uranium.