By Times of Israel—-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of taking a “significant step” toward producing a nuclear weapon Monday, after Iran said it had exceeded the amount of enriched uranium it is allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal.
Netanyahu said Iran’s announcement that it now holds over 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium was proof that Iranian leaders have lied over their nuclear intentions, and, called on European countries to sanction Tehran.
“When we exposed the secret Iranian nuclear archive , we proved that any nuclear agreement with Iran is built on one big lie. Now even Iran acknowledges this,” Netanyahu said at an event honoring Israeli reservists. “Soon will be revealed additional proofs that Iran has been lying this whole time.”
Iran’s acknowledgment Monday that it had broken the limit on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium set by the 2015 nuclear deal marked its first major departure from the unraveling agreement a year after the US unilaterally withdrew from the accord.
Iran had been expected for days to acknowledge that it broke the limit after earlier warning that it would do so. It held off on publicly making an announcement, as European leaders met Friday in Vienna to discuss ways to save the accord.
Iran has threatened to increase its enrichment of uranium closer to weapons-grade levels by July 7.
Netanyahu repeated his vow not to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and called on the European signatories to the nuclear pact to hold Tehran accountable.
“They promised to act the moment Iran violates the nuclear deal. They promised they would automatically enact sanctions that were imposed by the Security Council,” the prime minister said. Continue Reading….