Iran's Rouhani says nuclear enrichment at higher level than before 2015 deal

Iran is now enriching more uranium than Tehran did before it agreed to a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Jan. 16 in a televised speech.

"We are enriching more uranium before the deal was reached ... Pressure has increased on Iran but we continue to progress," Rouhani said.

Iran has gradually scaled back its commitments under the nuclear deal in retaliation to Washington's withdrawal from the pact in 2018 and its reimposition of sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.

U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the nuclear deal reached under his predecessor Barack Obama, arguing it was too weak and new sanctions would force Iran to accept more stringent terms. Iran says it will not negotiate with sanctions in place.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Jan. 14: "If we're going to get rid of it, let's replace it and let's replace it with the Trump deal."

Under the mechanism, the EU should inform the other parties - Russia and China as well as Iran - of the move. There would then be 15 days to resolve differences, a deadline that can be extended or ultimately lead to reimposing U.N. sanctions.

In its biggest step away from the agreement yet, Iran announced on Jan. 6 it would abandon all limitations on enriching uranium set down in the pact.

France, Britain and Germany formally triggered the dispute mechanism in Iran's nuclear deal on Jan. 14, the strongest step the Europeans have taken so far to enforce an agreement that requires Iran to curb its nuclear programme.

The European powers said they were acting to avoid a crisis over nuclear proliferation adding to an escalating confrontation in the Middle East. Russia, another signatory to the pact,...