European powers call for urgent meeting on Iran nuclear issue

France, Germany, Britain and the EU High Representative on Tuesday expressed "deep concerns" over Iran's fresh move to raise the concentration of its enriched uranium beyond agreed limits, calling for an urgent meeting of a joint commission on the issue.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Ali Akbar Dabiran, Chargé d'Affaires of the Islamic Republic of Iran, without a handshake during the annual reception for the Diplomatic Corps at Meseberg Castle in Brandenburg, July 9, 2019. [Photo: IC]

In a joint statement, foreign ministers of the European signatories of the nuclear deal told Iran to return "to full JCPoA compliance without delay," after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed it had surpassed the limits set in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA).

"Iran has stated that it wants to remain within the JCPoA. It must act accordingly by reversing these activities..." they said.

"These compliance issues must be addressed within the framework of the JCPoA, and a Joint Commission should be convened urgently," they added.

The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran on Monday announced that Iran has raised the concentration of its enriched uranium to 4.5 percent, crossing the limit of 3.67 percent set by the 2015 nuclear deal, the official IRNA news agency reported.

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.

At that time, Iran set a 60-day deadline, until July 7, for the Europeans to help the Islamic republic reap economic benefits of the deal.

However, Iran said that the Europeans have failed to take "practical" steps to ensure Iran's economic interests under the deal.

Around a week earlier, Iran announced that its low-grade enriched uranium stockpile had exceeded 300 kg, its first breach of limits set in the accord.