Ebrahim Raisi defends uranium enrichment after Europe ‘trampled on its commitments’

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has defended his country’s enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels, claiming it was a response to European states not living up to their end of the 2015 nuclear agreement.

“In the beginning, we were not seeking 60% levels of enrichment. They (European states) trampled upon their commitments,” Raisi told CNN, noting that what Iran did was in response to a breaking of commitment of the signatories to the 2015 agreement.

Raisi rejected accusations that Iran’s ramped up enrichment was because the country is seeking to build a bomb. According to him, itt was officially announced that the action that Tehran intends to take is not intended to reach nuclear weapons of any type or a military dimension of any type, but it is a response for the lack of commitment demonstrated by the Europeans.

The Iranian president added that should Europeans at any time return to a fulfillment of their commitments, rest assured, and have no doubt that Iran as it has done in the past, will fully adhere to its commitments.