Iran ‘undermining opportunity’ for nuclear diplomacy

PARIS: Iran risks losing the chance to fully realise the 2015 deal reducing sanctions in exchange for limits to its nuclear programme after starting to produce uranium metal in the latest violation of the accord, European powers said on Friday.

There have been hopes that the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions could be revived through new talks under the administration of US President Joe Biden, after his predecessor Donald Trump walked out of the deal in 2018.

But now "in escalating its non-compliance, Iran is undermining the opportunity for renewed diplomacy to fully realise the objectives of the JCPOA," Britain, France and Germany said in a statement.

The UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday Iran has started producing uranium metal, in a fresh breach of the limits laid out in the 2015 deal which aims to ensure Tehran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon.

"We reiterate that Iran has no credible civilian justification for these activities, which are a key step in the development of a nuclear weapon," the statement by the three countries said.