US President Donald Trump warned Monday that Iran is "playing with fire" after Tehran said it exceeded a limit on enriched uranium reserves under a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Washington.

Israel urged European states to sanction Iran, while Russia voiced regret but said the move was a consequence of US pressure, which has pushed the deal towards collapse.

Britain called on Tehran "to avoid any further steps away" from the landmark deal, and the UN said Iran must stick to its commitments under the accord.

"Iran has crossed the 300-kilogram limit based on its plan" announced in May, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told semi-official news agency ISNA.

But he also said the move could be reversed.

"They know what they're doing. They know what they're playing with and I think they're playing with fire," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about Iran.

The United States withdrew from the nuclear deal last year and hit Iran's crucial oil exports and financial transactions as well as other sectors with biting sanctions.

Tehran, which has sought to pressure the remaining parties to save the deal, announced on May 8 it would no longer respect the limit set on its enriched uranium and heavy water stockpiles.

It threatened to abandon further nuclear commitments unless the remaining partners -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- helped it circumvent sanctions, especially to sell its oil.

The White House had earlier said that "the United States and its allies will never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons," vowing to continue exerting "maximum pressure" on the regime.

"It was a mistake under the Iran nuclear deal to allow Iran to enrich uranium at any level," spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.

- 'One mustn't dramatize' -

Zarif insisted Iran had done nothing wrong. "We have NOT violated the #JCPOA," he tweeted, referring to the deal.

He said Iran would "reverse" its decision "as soon as E3 abide by their obligations" -- referring to the European parties to the deal: Britain, France and Germany.

Zarif's American counterpart Mike Pompeo accused Iran of using its nuclear program "to extort the international community and threaten regional security."

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Iran had exceeded the limit that the deal imposed on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium (LEU).

A diplomat in Vienna, where the UN's nuclear watchdog is based, told AFP that Iran had exceeded the 300 kilogram (661 pound) limit by two kilograms.

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Iran's move was a cause for "regret" but also "a natural consequence of recent events" and a result of the "unprecedented pressure" from the US.

"One mustn't dramatize the situation," Ryabkov, whose country is a close ally of Tehran, said in comments reported by Russian news agencies.

Britain's Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter that London was "deeply worried" and urged Iran to "come back to compliance" with the nuclear deal.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said it was "essential" that Iran stick to the deal.

- 'Europe's efforts not enough' -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged European countries to impose sanctions on his country's arch-foe Iran.

Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday about Iran's breach of the nuclear deal limit, the White House said.

The US president expressed hope in an interview broadcast Monday -- which was taped prior to Iran's announcement on the uranium limit -- that Tehran will come to the negotiating table.

"Hopefully, at some point, they'll come back and they'll say, 'We're going to make a deal.' Let's see what happens," Trump told Fox News Channel's "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

The European Union said Friday after a crisis meeting aimed at salvaging the deal that a special payment mechanism set up to help Iran skirt the sanctions, known as INSTEX, was finally "operational" and that the first transactions were being processed.

But "the Europeans' efforts were not enough, therefore Iran will go ahead with its announced measures," Zarif said.

INSTEX, which "is just the beginning" of their commitments, has not yet been fully implemented, he added.

The 2015 deal saw Iran commit to never acquiring an atomic bomb, accept drastic limits on its nuclear program and submit to IAEA inspections in exchange for a partial lifting of crippling international sanctions.

Iran has also threatened to start enriching uranium above the agreed maximum purification level of 3.67 percent from July 7. That remains far short of the 90 percent purity required to build a weapon.

The latest tensions coincide with a buildup of US forces in the Gulf and a series of incidents including Iran's shooting down of a US drone it claimed had entered its airspace.

Souring Iran-US ties since Trump quit nuclear deal
Tehran (AFP) July 1, 2019 - Relations between Tehran and Washington have gone from bad to worse since the United States unilaterally withdrew from the international deal on Iran's nuclear programme in May 2018.

Here are key developments.

- US quits -

On May 8, 2018, President Donald Trump announces the US withdrawal from the 2015 pact saying: "We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement."

The move heralds the reinstatement of US sanctions.

The US warns other countries to end trade and investment in Iran and to stop buying its oil or face punitive measures.

But Britain, France and Germany -- who were also parties to the deal alongside Russia and China -- insist Iran has abided by its commitments and say they are determined to save the agreement.

- Twelve conditions -

Immediately after the US announcement, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Tehran would be within its rights to scrap the curbs it agreed in the deal. But he calls on the remaining parties to save it.

On May 21, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlines 12 tough conditions from Washington for any "new deal". They include not only new nuclear commitments but also a complete scaling back of Iran's regional role.

- Sanctions -

On August 7, Washington reimposes a first set of sanctions that target Iran's access to US banknotes and key industries, including cars and aviation.

Major international firms halt their activities or projects in Iran.

On November 5, the US reimposes a second package of sanctions aimed at significantly reducing Iran's oil exports and cutting it off from international finance.

At the end of January 2019, Britain, France and Germany launch a trade mechanism in a bid to allow Tehran to keep trading with EU companies bypassing US sanctions. No transaction has taken place under the system to date.

- 'Terrorism' -

On April 8, Washington designates Iran's ideological army, the Revolutionary Guards, a "foreign terrorist organisation".

Tehran immediately declares Washington a "state sponsor of terrorism" and blacklists its forces in the region as "terrorist groups".

- End of waivers -

On April 22, Trump announces his decision to cancel sanctions exemptions enjoyed by eight countries on oil imports.

On May 8, Iran says it has decided to suspend commitments it made under the nuclear deal, some immediately and some after 60 days if no progress is made on sanctions relief.

They include restrictions on the level to which Iran can enrich uranium and on limits on its heavy water stockpiles.

Trump announces new measures against Iran's steel and mining sectors.

- Escalation in the Gulf -

On May 12, four ships, including three tankers, are the target of mysterious "sabotage" acts in United Arab Emirates waters. The US and Saudi Arabia accuse Iran, which denies any involvement.

On June 13, two oil tankers are attacked in the Gulf of Oman. Washington, London and Riyadh accuse Iran, which again denies involvement.

On June 20, Iran's Revolutionary Guards say they shot down a US spy drone which allegedly violated Iranian airspace. The Pentagon denies the unmanned aircraft entered Iran's airspace.

The next day Trump approves a retaliatory strike, but cancels it at the last minute.

- New sanctions -

On June 24, the US imposes "hard-hitting" financial sanctions on Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian military leaders.

- Enriched uranium -

Iran announces on July 1 that it has exceeded a limit on its enriched uranium reserves set by the nuclear deal. The UN's nuclear watchdog confirms that Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile had "exceeded 300 kilogrammes".

Hard-won 2015 Iran nuclear deal
Tehran (AFP) July 1, 2019 - Iran agreed with major world powers in 2015 to freeze its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of punishing international sanctions.

But in 2018, President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement, later reimposing sanctions.

And on Monday, Iran announced it had exceeded its enriched uranium stockpile limit set by the deal, an announcement confirmed by the UN nuclear watchdog.

Here is a look back.

- Long road -

Tough negotiations start in June 2013 between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany.

The final deal is reached on July 14, 2015, bringing an end to a 12-year international row over the Iranian nuclear issue.

- The aim -

The goal of the deal is to render it practically impossible for Iran to build an atom bomb, while at the same time allowing it to pursue a civil nuclear programme.

As part of the agreement, Tehran pledges to reduce its nuclear capacities for several years.

It agrees to slash the number of centrifuges -- which are used to enrich uranium for nuclear fuel but can also be used in the production of an atom bomb -- from more than 19,000 to 5,060, and to maintain that level for a decade.

It also agrees to modify its heavy water reactor in Arak to make it impossible to produce plutonium for military use.

The deal comes into effect on January 16, 2016.

- Inspectors, sanctions relief -

The International Atomic Energy Agency is charged with regular inspections of facilities such as uranium mines and centrifuge workshops for up to 25 years.

The accord also paves the way for a partial lifting of international sanctions on Iran, opening the door to foreign investors. French energy giant Total and carmakers PSA and Renault all strike deals.

UN embargoes on the sale of conventional arms and on ballistic missiles to Iran are however maintained up to 2020 and 2023 respectively.

- US exit -

But on May 8, 2018, Trump announces the US is pulling out of the agreement and will reimpose sanctions on Iran as well as all companies with ties to the Islamic republic.

On August 7, it imposes sanctions that target access to US banknotes and key industries such as cars and carpets. They had been in place prior to the nuclear deal.

A second tranche of sanctions kicks in on November 5 targeting Iran's vital oil sector and central bank transactions.

From May 2, 2019, Washington ends temporary sanctions waivers it had granted to the eight main purchasers of Iranian oil, raising the pressure on holdouts China, India and Turkey to find other suppliers.

- Deal unravels -

Responding to the sanctions, Iran on May 8 announces it will stop observing restrictions on its stocks of enriched uranium and heavy water agreed under the deal.

It also gives Europe, China and Russia until July 7 to help it circumvent US sanctions and sell oil, saying it would otherwise abandon more of the terms.

Hours later Trump announces new measures on iron, steel, aluminium and copper.

On June 24, the US imposes financial sanctions on Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian military leaders.

It comes as tensions rise after Iran's downing of a US drone over sensitive Gulf waters and a series of tanker attacks that Washington blames on Tehran, which has denied involvement.

On July 1, Iran says it has exceeded the limit on its enriched uranium reserves set by the deal.

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Iran says European plan to bypass US sanctions falls short
Tehran (AFP) July 1, 2019
The mechanism set up by European powers to help Iran skirt US sanctions will be of limited use but it has highlighted a welcome distance between Washington and its allies, Tehran's top diplomat said Monday. The EU said Friday after a crisis meeting aimed at salvaging a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers that the INSTEX payment mechanism was finally "operational" and that the first transactions were being processed. "Although it does not meet the demands of the Islamic rep ... read more