9 July

The UN's nuclear watchdog has confirmed that Iran has breached the uranium enrichment limit set by the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Iran announced on Monday that it was enriching uranium above the limit of 3.67 percent set under the deal. It said it has raised its enrichment level to at least 4.5 percent.

Later on Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that its inspectors had verified the Iranian announcement.

The IAEA is due to hold an extraordinary board meeting on Wednesday to discuss a response.

Earlier, United Nations deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said that a breach by Iran would neither help preserve the nuclear deal nor secure tangible economic benefits for the Iranian people.

Tehran complains that it is not getting the economic benefits promised under the nuclear agreement, due to tough sanctions imposed by the United States, which has pulled out of the deal.

NHK