Friday prayer leader: Iran not to retreat from decision on uranium enrichment

Addressing the Friday prayers sermon in Tehran, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahhedi Kermani referred to Iran’s decision to reduce obligations regarding the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying should the European partners to the deal fail to comply with their commitments, “Iran will continue to increase its uranium stockpiles.”

He asserted that the enrichment will never be aimed at making bombs “because Iran neither considers nuclear bombs as legitimate nor needs them.”

President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor – which was agreed to be redesigned under JCPOA – will resume its previous activities after July 7 if the other signatories to the deal fail to uphold their end of the bargain.

He added Tehran will abandon this commitment and will increase the enrichment level to the level required

Iran has said its decision concerning the reactor could only be reversed if the other signatories to the deal act on all of their commitments.

Other parties to the deal cannot criticize Iran for its recent measures since Tehran has extended the deadline several times upon the request of European leaders, Rouhani added.