Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran will surpass the uranium-stockpile limit set by its nuclear deal in the next 10 days, an official said Monday, raising pressure on Europeans trying to save the accord a year after the U.S. withdrawal lit the fuse for the heightened tensions now between Tehran and Washington.

Hours later, the two countries seemed locked in a standoff when the Pentagon announced it was sending about 1,000 additional American troops to the Middle East to bolster security in the region in the face of what U.S. officials said was a growing threat from Iran.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The Latest on developments in the Persian Gulf region amid rising tensions between Iran and the U.S. (all times local):

4:10 p.m.

A U.S. senator says Iran’s decision to break its uranium stockpile limit under the 2015 nuclear deal puts his country in a bind.

Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat and vocal opponent of President Donald Trump, said on Monday that Trump’s decision to pull out of the 2015 accord curbing Iran’s nuclear powers was “foolish.”

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran will break the uranium stockpile limit set by Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in the next 10 days, the spokesman for the country’s atomic agency said Monday while also warning that Iran could enrich uranium up to 20% — just a step away from weapons-grade levels.

The announcement by Behrouz Kamalvandi, timed for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, puts more pressure on Europe to come up with new terms for Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.

TEHRAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Iran will release "important" details about the measures it has taken after recent suspension of some of its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal, Press TV reported on Sunday.

On Monday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) would release "very important information" regarding the "limitless increase of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile" as well as measures it has taken to prepare for the second phase of the scaling back of its obligations, according to the report.

16 June 2019; IRNA: Secretaries of the commission and members of working groups have attended the meeting in Tehran.

On Monday morning the third working group of provincial cooperation between Iran and Russia will be held in presence of Iranian and Russian ministers of energy.

16 June 2019; IRNA: Addressing Majlis on Sunday, Ali Larijani said it seems that attacks on oil tankers happened due to the fact that they got nothing from their harsh sanctions.

Citing a US historical record, Larijani said that during the World War US used to attack its own ships near Japan to provide pretexts for bombing Japan.

Tehran, June 16 (AFP) Iran's foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador on Saturday over his government accusing Tehran of being behind attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"Rob Macaire, Britain's ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the foreign affairs ministry... following the false remarks made by the British foreign affairs minister," the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.

TEHRAN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday that the attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman earlier on the day were "suspicious."

"Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers" occurred while the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "for extensive and friendly talks," Zarif tweeted on Thursday.

The Iranian foreign minister called for regional dialogue, saying that "Iran's proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative."

TEHRAN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday ruled out any negotiations with the United States over the spiky issues between the two countries, the leader's official website said.

"Iran has no trust in America," Khamenei said at his meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"Iran will never repeat the bitter experience of previous negotiations with the United States within the framework of the JCPOA (Iranian nuclear deal)," he added.

13 June 2019; DW: The United States Fifth Fleet responded to suspected attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

"US naval forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time and a second one at 7:00 a.m.," the statement said.

"US Navy ships are in the area and are rendering assistance."