Europeans press Iran to back down on uranium enrichment

Germany, France and Britain pressed Iran on Wednesday to reverse a decision to start enriching uranium to levels beyond limits of a 2015 nuclear agreement, a move which y said “risks compromising” chances of diplomacy with incoming U.S. ministration.

foreign ministers of three European nations said in a joint statement that Iranian activity “has credible civil justification.” y said enrichment was a clear violation of 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers and “furr hollows out agreement.”

United States unilaterally withdrew from agreement in 2018, and remaining countries that signed it with Iran — Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia — have been trying to keep accord from collapsing.

On Monday, Iran began enriching uranium to levels unseen since 2015 deal. decision appeared aimed at increasing Tehran’s lever during U.S. President Donald Trump's waning days in office.

Iran informed International Atomic Energy ncy of its plans to increase enrichment to 20% last week. Increasing enrichment at its underground Fordo facility puts Tehran a technical step away from weapons-gre levels of 90%.

purpose of deal was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb — something Tehran insists it doesn’t want to do. three European powers have expressed hope that with change of ministrations in Washington, U.S. might rejoin agreement.

President-elect Joe Biden has said he hopes to return U.S. to deal.

Complicating that goal is that Iran — which is seeking relief from crippling U.S. sanctions — is w in violation of most major restrictions set out in agreement.

uranium enrichment move “undermines joint commitment” me on Dec. 21 by participants in deal to preserve agreement, European ministers said in ir statement Wednesday.

“It also risks compromising important opportunity for a return to diplomacy with incoming U.S. ministration,” statement said.

“We strongly urge Iran to stop enriching uranium to up to 20% without delay, reverse its enrichment program to limits agreed in (agreement) and to refrain from any furr escalatory steps which would furr reduce for effective diplomacy,” ministers ded.

A decision to begin enriching to 20% purity a dece ago nearly triggered an Israeli strike targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. tensions only abated with 2015 deal, which saw Iran limit its enrichment in exchange for lifting of ecomic sanctions.