Iran warned Thursday it was preparing to restart its nuclear program on an “industrial scale,” and said it could seek compensation from the U.S. in some form after President Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear agreement.
“[T]he President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has been tasked with taking all necessary steps in preparation for Iran to pursue industrial-scale enrichment without any restrictions, using the results of the latest research and development of Iran’s brave nuclear scientists,” Iran said in a Thursday statement.
Iran was left in theory with a negligible nuclear program under the agreement, and a move to restart it, even something short of restarting its nuclear weapons program, could be seen as a violation by other countries that are still in the deal.
Iran’s statement also said the country is mulling over whether to seek damages from the U.S. decision to leave the deal.
“[I]f the U.S. withdrawal is not fully compensated and the full interests of the Iranian people are not met and guaranteed — as stated in the accord and as outlined by Iran’s Leader on 9 May — it will exercise its legal right to take whatever reciprocal measures it deems expedient,” it said.
Despite its outrage at the U.S., Iran has said it would stay in the agreement with other countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Friday he will begin a new round of international diplomacy in an effort to save the deal, CNN reported.
He said he would be speaking with European nations that were co-signatories of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, including meeting with leaders from Germany, France, and The U.K. in Brussels on Tuesday.
After Trump’s decision, Zarif said Trump was ignorant and accused him of dragging the “Middle East into chaos.”
