Iran to expand nuclear R&D: president

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday night that Iran will expand its nuclear research and development as of Sept. 6.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. [File Photo: IC]

Rouhani said at a press conference that Iran will lift the limits on the country's nuclear research and development activities set by the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, according to Tehran-headquartered Press TV.

"The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) will be obliged to immediately start research and development on whatever technical needs the country has, and set aside all R&D commitments stipulated in the nuclear deal," he was quoted as saying.

The AEOI is expected to expand its "R&D on various new centrifuges and whatever the country may need for uranium enrichment" at a fast pace, he said.

"We will carry out whatever we need technically ... under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and within a peaceful framework," he added.

Despite progress in the negotiations between Iran and the European parties on the nuclear deal, "final agreement has not been reached so far" pertaining to Iran's interests under the deal, Rouhani said earlier Wednesday.

Therefore, "Iran will take the third step to reduce its commitments to the nuclear deal, and will announce it soon," said Rouhani.

The third step "is highly important in nature and will accelerate the activities of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran," he said.

"In my eyes, this is the most important step that we are going to take, and it will have extraordinary results," he added.

In May, Iran started to break away with the restrictions, set by the nuclear deal, on the stockpile of its low-grade enriched uranium and its concentration, in response to U.S. exit from the deal last year.

Meanwhile, it stressed that the cuts are reversible if other parties to the deal fulfill their obligations.