The Islamic republic says it would sharply ramp up its enrichment of uranium on Tuesday, two days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility that it blamed on arch-foe Israel.
On Friday, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, confirmed the country was now producing uranium enriched to 60 percent purity.
Later on state television, Salehi said they are now getting nine grams per hour and that scientists at Natanz were still working on how to install the two centrifuge lines.
The move to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity takes Iran closer to the 90 percent level required for use in a nuclear weapon.
The Islamic republic has gradually rolled back its nuclear commitments since 2019, a year after the US withdrew from the accord and began imposing sanctions.
The 2015 deal known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
Under the accord, Iran had committed to keep enrichment to 3.67 percent, though it had stepped this up to 20 percent in January.
Negotiations aimed at ensuring the return of the United States to the JCPOA and the lifting of sanctions resumed this week in Vienna.
But the announcement cast a shadow over talks in Vienna aimed at salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers which US president Donald Trump abandoned almost three years ago.
Britain, France and Germany had expressed “grave concern” over Iran’s latest enrichment move.
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