Iran now enriching uranium at 5%, claims it can go up to 60%

Iran said on Saturday that it is now enriching uranium to five percent and has a capacity for up to 60 percent, after a series of steps back from its commitments under the 2015 nuclear accord with major powers.

Tehran also slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it was his “biggest lie” that Iran seeks nuclear weapons.

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said at a press conference in Tehran that the organization has “the possibility to produce 5%, 20%, and 60%, and has this capacity,” adding that currently “the need is for 5%.”

Kamalvandi also said “Netanyahu’s biggest lie is that Iran is after nuclear weapons. Iran does not need nuclear weapons given the power balance in the region,” according to the Fars news agency.

“Of course, Iran enjoys nuclear capability and technology and there is no doubt about that. But these allegations by the Zionist regime are aimed at concealing its own ugly face,” he added. Israel has a stance of ambiguity — neither confirming nor denying the existence of nuclear weapon capabilities.

The 2015 deal set a 3.67% limit for uranium enrichment but Iran announced it would no longer respect it after Washington unilaterally abandoned the agreement last year and reimposed crippling sanctions.

MORE: https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-says-now-enriching-uranium-at-5-further-exceeding-limit-set-by-nuke-deal/

Iran now enriching uranium at 5%, claims it can go up to 60%