Only weeks left to save nuclear deal, Europeans warn

Envoys from the UK, France and Germany say that there are only weeks left for negotiators to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, accusing Tehran of enriching uranium to levels higher than ever seen in a non-nuclear armed state.

“This negotiation is urgent… We are clear that we are nearing the point where Iran’s escalation of its nuclear program will have completely hollowed out the JCPOA,” the negotiators say in a statement, referring to the deal’s official name by its acronym.

“That means we have weeks, not months, to conclude a deal before the JCPOA’s core non-proliferation benefits are lost,” they say.

In response to Iran claiming that its enrichment levels are related to the needs of the country, the European negotiators say that 60 percent enrichment is still “unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.” Military-grade levels are around 90%, but only a short technical step away from 60%.

“Its increasing 60 percent stockpile is bringing Iran significantly closer to having fissile material, which could be used for nuclear weapons,” they say.