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Iran has declared it will increase its uranium enrichment if a new deal is not reached between the Islamic Republic and the United States by July 7.
Atomic energy spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi suggested that Iran’s enrichment could reach up to 20%, just a step away from weapons-grade levels. Iran’s warning follows the nation’s commitment to surpass the uranium-stockpile limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal it agreed to with the U.S. in the next 10 days.
The danger, nuclear nonproliferation experts warn, is that at 20% enrichment, only a fraction of atoms need to be removed to enrich up to weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the 2015 deal grew out of Western concerns about the program.
Under the accord, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But Trump pulled America out of the deal in May 2018. Since then, tensions between the two nations has escalated. President Trump’s administration most recently cut into Iran’s sale of crude oil and sent its economy into freefall.
Hours after Iran’s threat to increase uranium enrichment, the Pentagon announced that it was sending about 1,000 additional American troops to the Middle East to bolster security in the region.
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