United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday expressed concerns over the fact that Iran has breached part of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Guterres urged Iran to continue implementing all its nuclear related commitments, a UN spokesman said.
“Such action by the Islamic Republic of Iran would not help preserve the plan, nor secure the tangible economic benefits for the Iranian people. It is essential that this issue ... be addressed through the mechanism established by the JCPOA,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, according to Reuters.
Under the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), there is a dispute resolution process that could, within as little as 65 days, end at the UN Security Council with a snapback of UN sanctions on Iran.
The UN chief’s statement followed the Islamic Republic’s announcement that it had exceeded the amount of enriched uranium permitted under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The US later vowed to never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons following Iran's announcement.
"The Iranian regime took action today to increase its uranium enrichment. It was a mistake under the Iran nuclear deal to allow Iran to enrich uranium at any level. There is little doubt that even before the deal's existence, Iran was violating its terms. We must restore the longstanding nonproliferation standard of no enrichment for Iran. The United States and its allies will never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons," the White House Press Secretary said.
"Maximum pressure on the Iranian regime will continue until its leaders alter their course of action. The regime must end its nuclear ambitions and its malign behavior."
US President Donald Trump, responding to Iran’s announcement, warned that the Islamic Republic is “playing with fire”.
Iran says it no longer feels bound by certain limits in the deal due to the crippling sanctions re-imposed by the United States after Washington pulled out of the accord in May 2018.
Iran’s announcement followed a meeting with European, Russian and Chinese officials to discuss ways to save the 2015 nuclear following the US withdrawal.
Iran’s envoy to Friday’s meeting in Vienna said that European countries had offered too little to persuade Tehran to back off from its plans to breach limits imposed by the deal.