Ali Khamenei Claims To Enrich Uranium By Up To 60 Percent: Iran Will Not Back Down On Nuclear Matters

JAKARTA - Amid the unclear continuation of the 2015 Joint Nuclear Agreement (JCPOA) which was signed by Iran together with the United States, Britain, Russia, Germany, France, China and the European Union, Supreme Leader Ira ali Khamenei issued a controversial statement.

At a meeting of the 88-member Panel of Experts in Tehran on Monday local time, Khamenei said his country would not back down in pursuing the right to a nuclear program.

Not only that, Ali Khamenei also said that Iran was able to process uranium to a purity of 60 percent, for civilian use.

"Like any other matter, the Islamic Republic will not back down on the nuclear issue and will continue to move forward based on the country's current and future needs," he said, launching Anadolu.

He said Iran was not looking for nuclear weapons. However, if they decide to produce it, he emphatically says nothing can prevent it.

"The international Zionist clown said they would not allow Iran to produce nuclear weapons," he said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"First of all, if we have such intentions, even those who are stronger than him will not be able to stop us," said Khamenei.

On reducing Iran's commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, Khamenei said Tehran would return to full compliance when other signatories fulfill their obligations.

He also called on Hassan Rouhani's government and parliament to work out their differences in implementing the recently passed laws aimed at countering US sanctions.

As part of the law, Iran is scheduled to stop implementing the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on February 23, limiting surveillance access from the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to Iran's nuclear sites.