Iran Nuclear Crisis: Tehran Exceeds Stockpile Uranium Limit, UN Atomic Watchdog Says

Iran announced Monday that it had breached the 300kg limit of enriched uranium, violating the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal with the international community.

"Based on what I've been told, Iran has exceeded the 300kg limit in accordance with its plan," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told reporters on Monday. "We have clearly said what we will do and we will act accordingly. We deem it as part of our rights under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action."

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action refers to the 2015 nuclear deal, where the international community would reduce sanctions in exchange for the country reducing its nuclear stockpile. Under the deal, Iran would also have to let the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), monitor its nuclear reserves periodically.

The IAEA has confirmed that Tehran has exceeded its uranium limits set under the deal.

President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and implemented sanctions on Iran that same year. Iran wants better protection from these sanctions by the European countries, or it will suspend other commitments it has made under the deal within the next 10 days.

Israel's Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said that Iran was carrying out "nuclear blackmail" by amassing more uranium than permitted under the 2015 deal. "It's a blatant violation of the agreement. Iran is carrying out nuclear blackmail. It is saying, 'Look how close we are to a nuclear weapon,'" Steinitz was quoted as saying.

The move comes as Iran's relationship with the United States and Israel is tense.

Last week, Iran allegedly shot down a U.S. unmanned drone over the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Trump said he called a strike on Iran but pulled back due to the casualties it would cause.

If the U.S. does still decide to attack Iran, the security of its regional ally Israel could be threatened.

"If the U.S. attacks us, only half an hour will remain of Israel's lifespan," Mojtaba Zalnour, an Iranian Member of Parliament, said on Monday.