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Iran Threatens to Revert to Pre-2015 Nuclear Development Levels

VOA News

   Iran threatened Monday to revert its nuclear development program to
   pre-2015 levels before it agreed to restraints under an international
   accord if the European countries and the United States that were
   signatories to the deal fail to help its economy.

   "If the Europeans and the Americans don't want to carry out their
   duties... we will decrease our commitments and... reverse the
   conditions to four years ago," the Iranian state news agency IRNA
   quoted atomic agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying.

   "These actions are not out of obstinacy," Kamalvandi said. "It is to
   give diplomacy a chance so that the other side [can] come to their
   senses and carry out their duties."

   The international pact called for sanctions relief for Tehran as it
   agreed to curbs on its nuclear program. But U.S. President Donald Trump
   withdrew from it in May 2018 and reimposed tough punitive measures
   against the Islamic republic that have hobbled its economy and cut its
   international oil exports. Tehran has contended that Europe has not
   done enough to help it overcome the effects of the U.S. sanctions.

   In the last month, Iran has exceeded the size of the uranium stockpile
   and the uranium enrichment level permitted under the pact. The deal
   also was signed by Britain, France, Germany, the European Union, China
   and Russia, all of which have remained in the pact even as they have
   criticized Iran for deviating from its provisions.

   Iran's foreign ministry said it would stay committed to the accord at
   the same level as the other signatories stay committed to it.

   British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the deal "isn't dead yet,"
   and that while the opportunity to find a resolution to the current
   crisis surrounding the agreement is closing, it is still possible to
   keep it alive.

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