Iran says uranium enrichment continues based on domestic law

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran’s enrichment of uranium continues based on a framework established by the country’s parliament, nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Sunday when asked about reports regarding Tehran slowing down its 60% enrichment.

“Our nuclear enrichment continues based on the strategic framework law,” Eslami said, referring to a related legislation.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had significantly slowed the pace at which it was accumulating near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and diluted some of its stockpile, moves that could help ease tensions with the U.S. and revive broader talks over Iran’s nuclear work.

In 2020, Iran’s hardline parliament passed a law requiring the government to take measures such as stepping up uranium enrichment beyond the limit set under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal if other parties did not fully comply with the deal.

After Washington ditched the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Tehran began to violate the nuclear curbs set out in the pact.

Iran, which under the nuclear agreement could only enrich uranium to 3.67%, started enriching it to 60% purity in 2021, a move bringing the fissile material closer to levels suitable for developing a bomb. Tehran has repeatedly denied seeking a nuclear bomb.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Hugh Lawson)