U.S. condemns Iran for not meeting nuclear safety obligations

The United States has joined three other countries in condemning Iran for not meeting nuclear safety requirements after the International Atomic Energy Agency raised the alarm about Tehran's activities.

The U.N. nuclear agency found last week that Iran is enriching uranium at up to 60% purity, which is near weapons grade. 

France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, all signatories of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal until the latter withdrew, responded to the U.N. report by calling out Iran in a joint statement.

The multi-nation deal essentially eased sanction on Iran in exchange for the county curtailing enriching uranium in pursuit of a nuclear weapon. 

"The newly reported change in configuration of centrifuge cascades used to produce near-weapons-grade uranium underscores the need for Iran to meet all its safeguards reporting obligations and to accept whatever safeguards monitoring the IAEA sees as necessary in light of Iran’s production of such highly enriched uranium," the countries said. 

Iran's production of uranium "carries significant proliferation-related risks and is without any credible civilian justification," the countries also said.

It is unclear how the countries could convince Iran to follow international nuclear guidance, as the Islamic Republic has been obscuring its nuclear work and ignoring the U.N. watchdog for years.