Hassan Rouhani
Hassan RouhaniReuters

Iran announced that its next step in reducing its commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal would be the development of nuclear centrifuges.

Speaking in a televised address on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asserted, “We will take all necessary steps to protect the Iranian nation’s rights and interests.”

“Our third step [in reducing Iran’s commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal] involves the development of centrifuges. We will take this step on Friday,” he said, according to Reuters.

Iran has scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal signed with world powers in retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement last May.

Trump later imposed two rounds of sanctions on Iran, the latest of which went into effect in November of 2018.

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.

On Tuesday, France offered 14 billion Euros in credit, backed by Iranian oil, if Tehran complies with the nuclear deal.

But French officials acknowledged that any such arrangement would require US support.

The idea is "to exchange a credit line guaranteed by oil in return for, one, a return to the JCPOA ( Iran nuclear deal) and two, security in the Gulf and the opening of negotiations on regional security and a post-2025 (nuclear program)," French foreign minister Jean-Yves le Drian told reporters.

"All this (pre)supposes that President Trump issues waivers."

Following France’s offer Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif declared that Iran would further cut its commitments under the deal.