Iran has declared that it will no longer abide by any of the restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal.
In a statement, it said it would no longer observe limitations on its capacity for enrichment, the level of enrichment, the stock of enriched material, or research and development.
The announcement followed a meeting of the Iranian cabinet in Tehran.
Tensions have been high over the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by the US in Baghdad.
Reports from Baghdad say the US embassy compound there was targeted in an attack on Sunday evening. A source told the BBC that four rounds of “indirect fire “ had been launched in the direction of the embassy. There were no reports of casualties.
Hundreds of thousands turned out in Iran on Sunday to give Soleimani a hero’s welcome ahead of his funeral on Tuesday.
Earlier, Iraqi MPs had passed a non-binding resolution calling for foreign troops to leave the country after the general’s killing in a drone strike at Baghdad airport on Friday.
About 5,000 US soldiers are in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group. The coalition paused operations against IS in Iraq just before Sunday’s vote.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened that the US will strike back at Iran in the event of retaliation for Soleimani’s death, and said it could do so “perhaps in a disproportionate manner”.
READ ALSO: Iran Warns Of Strong Response To Fuel Price Protests
Under the 2015 accord, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
US President Donald Trump abandoned it in 2018, saying he wanted to force Iran to negotiate a new deal that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles.
Iran refused, and had since been gradually rolling back its commitments under the agreement. It had been expected to announce its latest stance on the agreement this weekend, before news of Soleimani’s death.
Iranian state media announced on Sunday that the country will no longer respect any limits laid down in the 2015 deal.
“Iran will continue its nuclear enrichment with no limitations and based on its technical needs,” a statement said.
However, the statement did not say that Iran was actually withdrawing from the agreement and it added that the country would continue to co-operate with the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA.
Iran, it said, was ready to return to its commitments once it enjoyed the benefits of the agreement. Correspondents say this is a reference to its inability to sell oil and have access to its income under US sanctions.
Source: BBC
