Nuclear processing facility
Nuclear processing facilityiStock

Iran is capable of resuming production of 20% enriched uranium within two days, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi warned on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

“If Iran decides, it can have 20% enriched fuel within one to two days,” he said.

Enriching uranium up to 20% purity is considered an important intermediate stage on the path to obtaining the 90% pure fissile uranium needed for a bomb.

Kamalvandi’s comments come amid tensions between world powers and Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal which is at risk of unravelling since the US withdrew last year.

The European signatories have vowed to help Iran evade the economic sanctions imposed by the US, shielding companies doing business with the rogue state in an effort to preserve the Iran nuclear deal.

The sides have been holding talks on the issue but, while Iran reported progress on Monday, no breakthrough has yet been reached.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will never hold bilateral talks with the United States, but if it lifts all the sanctions it reimposed on Iran it can join multilateral talks between Iran and other parties to a 2015 nuclear deal.

"No decision has ever been taken to hold talks with the U.S. and there has been a lot of offers for talks but our answer will always be negative," the Iranian President was quoted as having said.

"If America lifts all the sanctions then like before it can join multilateral talks between Tehran and parties to the 2015 deal," he added.

Rouhani’s comments came as French President Emmanuel Macron tries to organize a meeting between Rouhani and US President Donald Trump.

While Trump stated that there is a "very good chance" he will meet Rouhani, the Iranian President made clear that he will not meet Trump unless all sanctions against Tehran are unilaterally lifted by the US.