Tehran warns time is running out to save Iran nuclear deal

Iran has stated itis now capable of raising uranium enrichment past the 20% level and, while it has no immediate plans to do so, the clock is ticking towards the point where the 2015 nuclear deal could not be salvaged.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, the Iranian nuclear agency spokesman, told a press conference: “We have started lifting limitations on our research and development imposed by the deal … It will include development of more rapid and advanced centrifuges.

“The European parties to the deal should know that there is not much time left, and if there is some action to be taken [to salvage the nuclear deal], it should be done quickly.”

The 2015 pact curbed Iran’s disputed nuclear programme in exchange for relief from sanctions, but has unravelled since the USpulled out of it last year and acted to strangle Iran’s oil trade to force it into wider security concessions.

Since May, Iran has begun to scale back its commitments to the pact in retaliation for Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign since he exited the deal and reimposed sanctions to force Tehran back into negotiations.