"Flagrant Breach" EU Denounces Iran's Plan to Increase Uranium Enrichment

On Monday, the European Union (EU) denounced Iran's plan to increase uranium enrichment up to 20 %, saying that it is a flagrant breach of the 2015 nuclear deal signed with many world countries.

In a statement, the EU spokesman Peter Stano said that the EU would wait until a briefing from the director of the UN's IAEA nuclear watchdog later in the day before deciding what action to take.

Earlier today, the Iranian government spokesman said they had begun the "process for producing" uranium enriched to 20 percent.

That would be well above the 3.67 percent cap set in the deal, known as the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

"If this announcement is going to be implemented... it would constitute a considerable departure from Iran's nuclear commitments under the JCPOA," Stano told reporters.

This would have "serious nuclear non-proliferation implications".

Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to curtail its nuclear program to levels well under the capacity to build atomic bombs in return for sanctions relief from the international parties to the accord.