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Rouhani says Iran will enrich uranium to "any amount we want"

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Photo: Presidency of Iran/Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country will start enriching uranium to "any amount we want" on July 7, reports AP.

"Our advice to Europe and the United States is to go back to logic and to the negotiating table. Go back to understanding, to respecting the laws and resolutions of the U.N. Security Council. Under those conditions, all of us can abide by the nuclear deal."

The big picture: Iran is trying to pressure European countries to find a way around the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S.

  • Iran still needs a year before they can enrich enough uranium for nuclear weapons, according to AP.
  • The 2015 nuclear deal fell apart after President Trump withdrew the U.S. in 2018 after wanting to impose tougher restrictions. The deal bars Iran from enriching uranium past 3.67% — the amount needed for power plants, but nowhere near the 90% required for nuclear weapons, per AP.

Worth noting: Iranian officials have previously said they won't develop the weapons, reports the New York Times.

Background: Many European nations still support the deal, and Rouhani previously told them in May they had 60 days to come up with an alternative that would help relieve some of the pressures of the U.S. sanctions.

Go deeper: How Trump and Tehran came to the brink of war

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