Iran is now enriching more uranium than Tehran did before it agreed to a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday in a televised speech.
"We are enriching more uranium before the deal was reached ... Pressure has increased on Iran but we continue to progress," Rouhani said.
Iran has gradually scaled back its commitments under the nuclear deal in retaliation to Washington's withdrawal from the pact in 2018 and its reimposition of sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.
Earlier this week, European powers triggered a dispute mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal that will result in the re-imposition of the Security Council's sanctions on Iran unless it proves that it was not in violation of the deal.
The powers said they no choice in taking that step in light of Iran's provocative steps that cast doubt on its commitment to curtailing its nuclear program.
