Iran 'better be careful' on nuclear enrichment: Trump

Pompeo says the move will lead the Islamic Republic to further isolation and sanctions

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday over its imminent breach of a uranium enrichment cap.

"Iran better be careful, because you enrich for one reason, and I won't tell you what that reason is. But it's no good. They better be careful," he told reporters in Morristown, New Jersey.

Trump's top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, earlier on Sunday said Iran will face further sanctions in response to the expected breach of the cap set by an endangered nuclear deal reached with international powers but from which the United States withdrew last year.

Iran to begin enriching uranium beyond 3.67% 'in a few hours': official

The 3.67 percent enrichment limit set in the agreement is far below the more than 90 percent level required for a nuclear warhead.

"Iran's latest expansion of its nuclear program will lead to further isolation and sanctions," Pompeo said on Twitter.

Iran’s latest expansion of its nuclear program will lead to further isolation and sanctions. Nations should restore the longstanding standard of no enrichment for Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s regime, armed with nuclear weapons, would pose an even greater danger to the world.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 7, 2019

Iran said earlier it was hours away from breaching the cap set by an endangered nuclear deal reached with international powers but from which the United States withdrew last year.

The Islamic republic also threatened to abandon more of its commitments unless a solution is found with parties to the landmark 2015 agreement.

The deal saw Iran commit not to acquire an atomic bomb, to accept drastic limits on its nuclear program and to submit to International Atomic Energy Agency inspections in exchange for a partial lifting of crippling international sanctions.

But US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the deal on May 8, 2018 - and subsequent sanctions - has deprived Iran of the economic benefits it expected and plunged it into recession.

"Nations should restore the long-standing standard of no enrichment for Iran's nuclear program. Iran's regime, armed with nuclear weapons, would pose an even greater danger to the world," Pompeo said.

UN nuclear watchdog's board to meet on Iran at request of US

Even after the US pullout, experts said Iran had been complying with the agreement.

But Tehran, which has sought to pressure the remaining parties to save the deal, on May 8 announced it would no longer respect the limits set on its enriched uranium and heavy water stockpiles.

It also threatened to go further and abandon more nuclear commitments unless the remaining partners - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia - help it to circumvent sanctions, especially to sell its oil.