Iran may increase uranium enrichment to 5 pct from July 7: official

A senior Iranian official said Iran may increase the purity of its enriched uranium to five percent from the current 3.67 percent from July 7, Press TV reported Saturday.

A handout photo made available by Iran's presidential office shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, July 03, 2019. [Photo: IC]

The move, if implemented, would be part of Tehran's decision to reduce its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal, said Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Iranian supreme leader.

Iran can use the enriched uranium of five percent purity at Bushehr nuclear power plant which is totally peaceful, he added.

The higher purity of enriched uranium will also be useful for Iran's other "vital" industrial and energy needs, Velayati noted.

A year after the U.S. unilateral exit from the nuclear deal, Iran withdrew from part of the nuclear deal on May 8 and threatened more actions in case its interests under the pact cannot be guaranteed.