Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the country would break within hours the limit on uranium enrichment set in the 2015 nuclear deal, BBC reports.
Details: Araghchi said Iran would start enriching uranium above the 3.67% limit to provide fuel for its Bushehr power plant, according to BBC, which reported that officials said this would mean a concentration of about 5%.
Why it matters: Iran has already admitted breaching the deal. It said last week its stockpile of low-enriched uranium crossed 300 kilograms (661 pounds) — the maximum amount it's allowed to hold under the 2015 nuclear deal, which has been in jeopardy since the U.S. withdrew from it.
- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said last week that Tehran would start enriching uranium to "any amount we want" on July 7.
The big picture: Araghchi told a news conference Iran would scale back other commitments in 60 days if there's no progress in talks with European countries on the nuclear deal, according to Al Jazeera.
- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that France and Iran had agreed to explore by July 15 conditions to resume talks on the nuclear deal, per Euronews.
- The situation between Iran and the United States remains tense. Last month, Iran shot down a U.S. drone. Trump called off retaliatory airstrikes at the last minute.
Go deeper: How Trump and Tehran came to the brink of war
This article has been updated with more details, including fresh comment from Araghchi.
