Israel has accused Iran of ramping up plans for a nuclear weapon after Tehran said it had resumed enriching uranium to 20 per cent purity at one of its facilities.
 
An Iranian government spokesperson confirmed the country had begun producing 20 per cent enriched uranium at an underground facility in Fordow, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. To make a nuclear weapon, Iran would have to enrich uranium to 90 per cent.
 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanuahu vowed never to let the Islamic Republic manufacture nuclear weapons in comments made after Iran confirmed its latest breach of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that the US abandoned in 2018.
 
“Iran's decision to continue violating its commitments, to raise the enrichment level and advance the industrial ability to enrich uranium underground, can't be explained in any way except as continued realization of its intention to develop a military nuclear programme,” Mr Netanyahu said. 
 
President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions. The US announced further sanctions last year. 
 
President-elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on 20 January, has previously said he would re-enter the Obama-era nuclear accord if Iran "returns to strict compliance".

The International Atomic Energy Agency told the JC on Monday that inspectors had been “monitoring activities” at the plant. 

The UN organisation said its director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, would submit a report to member states later today.