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US Calls Iran Plan to Surpass Uranium Stockpile Limit 'Nuclear Blackmail'

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   STATE DEPARTMENT - VOA's Ken Bredemeier and Chris Hannas contributed to
   this report.

   The United States calls Iran's plan to surpass the internationally
   agreed limit on its stock of low-enriched uranium "nuclear blackmail."

   "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," said White House National
   Security Council spokesperson Garrett Marquis.

   At the State Department, senior officials urged the international
   community not to yield to the "nuclear extortion" by Iran.

   "We continue to call on the Iranian regime not to obtain a nuclear
   weapon, to abide by their commitments to the international community,"
   said State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus on Monday during a
   briefing, adding that Iran's announcement is "unfortunate" but not
   surprising.

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