According to Sputnik, the European Union has claimed that Iran's move is a significant deviation from the nuclear deal.
EU's remarks came while Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov in a tweet a few minutes ago wrote, "#Iran announced that it resumes enrichment of uranium to 20%. This isn’t breaking news."
"This step was predictable in the light of the law passed by the Iranian Parliament. The main point is that it remains reversible within possible normalisation of the situation around #JCPOA," he added.
Earlier, Iran's Government Spokesman Ali Rabiei pointed to Iran’s counteractive plan to enrich uranium to up to 20% purity, saying that the gas injection process into centrifuges started “hours ago” following President Hassan Rouhani’s recent order on the implementation of the plan.
Rabiei noted that the enrichment started this morning while the pre-requisite measures such as informing the International Atomic Energy Agency and submitting a questionnaire based on the country's safeguard obligations have been taken.
The first UF6 product will be available within the next hours, the spokesman said.
The Iranian parliament approved a bill in December aimed at the lifting of sanctions after the failure of JCPOA’s European parties to fulfill commitments and in wake of the assassination of an Iranian scientist.
The plan obliges the AEOI to produce at least 120 kg of 20% enriched uranium annually and store it inside the country within two months after the adoption of the law.
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