Iran to start enriching uranium at higher levels from Sunday amid heightened tensions

In the coming days,... Iran will begin to enrich uranium at a higher level than it's permitted to do under the 2015 nuclear deal.The threat comes a matter of days after Tehran revealed it had exceeded limits on its low-enriched uranium stockpile.Lee Seung-jae reports.Tehran is raising the stakes again in its confrontation with the West.Just two days after Iran announced it had surpassed previously-set limits on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium,... Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that his country will increase its uranium enrichment levels after this weekend."From July 7 we will take the next step. If you (the European signatories to the JCPOA) wish to express regret then please do it now or if you wish to issue a communique, then please issue one now. From July 7 our level of uranium enrichment will no longer remain at the 3.67% level. We will put this commitment (to a cap on enrichment) to one side. "Under the Obama-era nuclear deal,... Iran had agreed to slash its stockpile by 90 percent,... and cap its uranium enrichment at 3-point-six-seven percent.However, after Sunday,... that limit will be breached.However, Iranian officials insist they have not broken the agreement,... stressing it was European nations like Germany, Britain and France that failed to uphold their commitments.But Rouhani claimed everything can be reversed,... but only if the other parties make good on the promises they've made."All the steps that we are taking can be reversed in the space of one hour to the previous terms (of the agreement). Why are you so worried? We have told you that if you carry out your part of the deal, then we will return to the first point."Meanwhile in response to Rouhani's announcement,... Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to denounce Iran's actions,... warning them to "be careful with the threats".Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.