Zarif reminds European powers Iran can enrich uranium

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif issued a "reminder" Monday to European powers that Tehran is allowed to enrich uranium under its nuclear deal, after a senior French diplomat claimed otherwise.

"There is no prohibition on the enrichment of uranium by Iran," Zarif tweeted. His comments were addressed to France, Germany and Britain who signed up to the landmark 2015 accord with Tehran under which uranium enrichment is curtailed but not banned. Zarif´s remark follows France´s ambassador to Washington declaring: "It´s false to say that at the expiration of the JCPOA (nuclear deal), Iran will be allowed to enriching uranium."

The claim on Saturday by Gerard Araud has since been deleted from his Twitter account. Under the 2015 agreement, Iran can only enrich uranium to 3.67 percent -- far below the roughly 90-percent level needed for nuclear weapons. "Might be useful for European partners to actually read the document they signed on to, and pledged to defend," Zarif added Monday. The European powers have vowed to stand by the historic nuclear deal despite the United States pulling out of the agreement last year and imposing sanctions on Iran.