Iran tells UN it will ramp up uranium enrichment

Iran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that it has launched a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity, nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said on Tuesday.

"A letter was submitted to the agency yesterday regarding the start of certain activities," said Salehi, a vice president and head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation.

"If conditions allow, maybe tomorrow night at Natanz, we can announce the opening of the centre for production of new centrifuges" for uranium enrichment, he said, quoted by conservative news agency Fars. 

In a speech on Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Ayatollah Khamenei ordered preparations to begin to increase uranium enrichment, adding pressure on European states hoping to keep the historic Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) intact, following the US withdrawal.

He said that the increase would be "within the framework of the JCPOA for the time being". 

European countries, including fellowing signatories to the 2015 accord Russia and China, have pledged to stand by the deal, which saw the lifting of economic sanctions for Iran curbing its nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump has long rubbished the deal and on 9 May announced the US pullout, reimposing sanctions.

Iran's move comes as fellow opponent and close Trump ally Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu continues a European tour urging leaders to revert to a yet-to-be-determined Plan B to counter Iran's nuclear activities.

The IAEA, which has carried out regular inspections in Iran, says the Islamic republic has so far abided by the terms of the nuclear deal.

On Monday, watchdog chief Yukiya Amano encouraged Iran to continue cooperating.