Iran starts 20% uranium enrichment violating nuclear deal amid tensions with US: Report

Iran has reportedly begun enriching uranium to up to 20 percent purity, in violation of 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan for Action (JCPOA) framework. According to Associated Press, an Iranian official on Monday confirmed that President Hassan Rouhani has given final d for enriching uranium to up to 20% purity at country's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which again is a violation of nuclear deal because Tehran is t allowed to use site for uranium production. 

Read: Iran Warns Against 'hostile Actions' On Anniversary Of Soleimani Assassination

Iran violating deal since 2019

Last week, media reports emerged suggesting Iran had sent a letter to United Nations nuclear watchdog saying it will soon begin enriching uranium to up to 20 percent purity. Although purity level needed to produce nuclear weapons is 90%, way above Iran's anuncement of enriching uranium to up to 20% purity, decision has caused a stir among or signatories of deal. Under JCPOA deal, Iran is t allowed to enrich uranium with over 4% purity level. However, Islamic Republic has been violating deal since 2019 after United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran. 

Read: Iran Tells Inspectors It Plans Up To 20% Enrichment At Fordo

After US President Donald Trump won elections in 2016, he withdrew United States from Obama-era deal, calling it "rotten". United States left JCPOA in 2018 despite or members urging it t to do so. US reimposed all sanctions on Iran, pushing Tehran to violate deal because one of key agreements of deal was that all ecomic embargos against Islamic Republic would be lifted and, in return, it will cap enrichment purity level. 

Read: Iran Blames Yemen's 'foreign Occupation' For Aden Airport Terror Attack

cap on enrichment matters because it will extend time needed to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran was already enriching uranium to up to 20 percent purity before signing of nuclear agreement with US and or members of UN Security Council, including Germany. As per BBC, Iran's parliament passed a bill last month after assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and mandated enrichment of uranium to up to 20% purity. It also blocked inspection of its nuclear sites by IAEA officials. 

Read: Iran Plans To Enrich Uranium To Up To 20% Purity In Violation Of 2015 Deal, Says IAEA