Iran is enriching uranium to 63% purity, more than halfway to producing nuclear weapons-grade uranium, according to the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran has been breaching the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015 in recent months, following the exit of the United States from the deal two years ago. Prior to last month, Iran had been enriching uranium to 20% purity, also a breach of the nuclear deal. Iran announced last month that it would enrich uranium to 60% in response to an explosion at the Natanz plant that has been blamed on Israel.
The announcement comes as Iran and the world powers are in the midst of negotiations for a renewal of the Iran nuclear deal. The United States and Iran are participating in indirect negotiations in tandem.