‘The countdown has started’: Iran says it will pass uranium stockpile limit in 10 days
- Announcement came after Tehran said it would stop observing nuclear restrictions agreed in a 2015 deal with the West in retaliation for the US withdrawing
- White House calls for Iran ‘nuclear blackmail’ to be met with international pressure
“The countdown to pass the 300kg reserve of enriched uranium has started and in 10 days time … we will pass this limit,” Iran’s atomic energy organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said at a press conference broadcast live.
The move “will be reversed once other parties live up to their commitments”, he added, speaking from the Arak nuclear plant southwest of Tehran.
A White House National Security Council spokesman said on Monday that the move amount to “nuclear blackmail” and must be met with increased international pressure.
“Iran’s enrichment plans are only possible because the horrible nuclear deal left their capabilities intact,” NSC spokesman Garrett Marquis said, adding that US President Donald Trump “has made it clear that he will never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. The regime’s nuclear blackmail must be met with increased international pressure.”