France, Germany, UK and US condemn Iran’s increase in uranium enrichment

France, Germany, Britain and the United States on Thursday condemned an increase by Iran in the production rate of highly enriched uranium of up to 60% purity, close to the level used for nuclear weapons fuel.
In a joint statement, the allies made no mention of any consequences Iran could face for the production hike but called for its reversal and said they remained “committed to a diplomatic solution” of the feud over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification,” the statement said. “These decisions … represent reckless behavior in a tense regional context.”
The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a report on Tuesday that Iran had reversed a months-long slowdown in the production rate of highly enriched uranium up to 60% purity.
“We condemn this action, which adds to the unabated escalation of Iran’s nuclear program,” the joint statement said.
Iran on Wednesday dismissed the IAEA report as “nothing new” and said it was running its program “according to the rules.”