Iran’s breach of uranium limits complicates nuclear deal

BERLIN (AP) — Efforts by world powers to preserve a 2015 landmark nuclear deal with Iran grew more complicated Monday with confirmation that Tehran had breached the pact’s limitations on stockpiles of low-enriched uranium.

The announcement by Iran, later verified by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, that it had followed through with its threat to increase the stockpiles raises the pressure on the countries — Russia, China, Germany, France and Britain, along with the European Union — trying to preserve the pact following the unilateral withdrawal of the United States last year.

European signatories to the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, have warned of consequences, but have not yet said what they might be.

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman, James Slack, said Iran’s announcement was “extremely concerning.”

“We will continue working with our JCPOA partners — in particularly with German and France — to keep the nuclear deal in place. This is in our shared security interests,” Slack said. “We have been consistently clear that our commitment to the JCPOA depends on Iran complying in full with the terms of the deal and we urge them to reverse this step.”

Meantime, the clock is ticking toward Tehran’s July 7 deadline, when it has threatened to begin enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels unless the JCPOA countries offer significant relief from American sanctions.

JCPOA member Russia downplayed the significance of Monday’s announcement that the stockpile limit had been exceeded, calling on the Europeans in the JCPOA not to over-react and on Iran not to push further.

“Exceeding the 300-kilogram limit causes regret, but shouldn’t be overdramatized, it must be seen as a natural result of the preceding events,” said Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, adding that Iran had faced “unprecedented and unthinkable” pressure from U.S. sanctions.