Speaking on Wednesday while addressing a cabinet meeting, President Hassan Rouhani said the authorities were exploring the possibilities of their nuclear technology as they were no longer bound by the constraints of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal, known as the Iran nuclear deal.

“The AEOI (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran) can enrich uranium by 20% and 60% and, if one day our reactor needs it, it can produce 90% uranium,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr News Agency, adding that Western powers had tried to shut down its Fordow nuclear site but now its facilities were stronger than ever.

The 90% figure quoted by Rouhani will be particularly concerning, as the concentration is considered the minimum benchmark for the production of nuclear weapons. Uranium enrichment beyond even 20% is considered to have few civilian applications.

In April, Tehran stated that it would enhance its uranium enrichment to 60%. This followed an alleged Israeli attack on its Natanz nuclear facility.