Iran will begin uranium enrichment beyond previous levels if the remaining parties fail to uphold the 2015 nuclear deal, its Atomic Energy Organisation told local media on Wednesday.

"We will not return to previous levels if our counterparts leave the JCPOA (nuclear deal), but will instead reach even more advanced levels," the organisation's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said, quoted by state broadcaster IRIB.

"We are at a considerably more advanced status than when we signed the deal. The country is moving ahead in nuclear activities at a favourable pace," he added.

Iran has repeatedly said it will resume high-level uranium enrichment if the 2015 agreement — which stringently limits its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief — falls apart.

Following the withdrawal of the United States in May, the other parties — Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the EU — have vowed to provide Iran with enough economic benefits to keep the agreement alive.

But Tehran is increasingly sceptical that those countries can counter the effects of renewed US sanctions, which have already battered Iran's economy.

Last week, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran should be ready to "set aside" the agreement if it is no longer in the country's national interests.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly stated that Iran is sticking to its commitments.

The administration of US President Donald Trump claims the deal did not prevent Iran from eventually working towards a nuclear weapon — which Tehran has denied it is seeking.

Trump leaves door open to meeting Iran's Rouhani at UN
Washington (AFP) Sept 5, 2018 –

President Donald Trump left the door open Wednesday to meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly — even as the United States ramps up the pressure on a regime it accuses of destabilizing the Middle East.

"It's possible, anything is possible," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the possibility of a face-to-face with Rouhani during the gathering later this month.

"We'll see what happens with Iran. Whether they want to talk or not, that's up to them, not up to me," said the US leader, who decided in May to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran.

"Iran is a much different place than when I took over the presidency," Trump added, describing the country as "in turmoil."

"When I took office it was just a question of how long until they took over the entire Middle East. Now they are just worrying about their own survival as a country."

Trump is due to lead September 26 meeting of heads of state of the UN Security Council, with the goal of ramping up pressure on Tehran over its alleged violations of council resolutions.