Iran exceeds uranium limit set in nuclear deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that the country has exceeded the 300-kilogramme limit on its enriched uranium reserves set by the 2015 nuclear deal. 

This was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that Iran still planned to suspend other commitments under the deal in 10 days unless European powers took practical and tangible steps to implement their new mechanism for facilitating trade. The mechanism, known as Instex, essentially allows goods to be bartered between Iranian and foreign companies without direct financial transactions. It became operational on Saturday, but Mr Zarif said it did not meet Iran's needs.

Under the



nuclear deal, Iran had agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of sanctions. 

Iran can stockpile no more than 300kg of low-enriched uranium. It is only permitted (until 2031) to produce low-enriched uranium, which has a 3-4 per cent concentration of U-235, and can fuel a power plant.  

Enriched uranium is produced by feeding uranium hexafluoride gas into centrifuges to separate out the most suitable isotope for nuclear fission, called U-235. It is widely used for peaceful purposes, such as medical research and producing electricity. But, if it is highly purified it can also be used to make a nuclear bomb.