Iran says nuclear operations 'unaffected' by US ending sanctions waiver

Chinese and European companies are assisting with the redesign of the Arak nuclear reactor but work will carry on without them, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said

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  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, right, and the head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi inspect the nuclear technology on the occasion of Iran National Nuclear Technology Day in Tehran in 2019. EPA

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  IR-8 centrifuges at Natanz nuclear power plant, some 300 kilometres south of capital Tehran. AFP

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  The Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr in 2010. EPA

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  Salehi speaks with media while visiting Natanz enrichment facility, in central Iran in 2019. Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP

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  The gate of Natanz nuclear power plant in Natanz , Isfahan province, in 2019. EPA

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  Inside of the Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, in Fordow, Qom province in 2019. EPA

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  Technicians work at the Arak heavy water reactor's secondary circuit, as officials and media visit the site, near Arak, Iran in 2019. Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP

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  Members of the media and officials tour the water nuclear reactor at Arak in 2019. WANA via Reuters

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  Concrete is poured for the base of the second nuclear power reactor at Bushehr plant in 2019. Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP

Iran said the US decision to end waivers that allowed some foreign companies to work on its civil nuclear projects would have no impact.

Chinese and European companies are assisting with the redesign of the Arak nuclear reactor, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (Irna). But Iran can build the required reactor types itself, he said, and also produce fuel locally or retrieve it from Russia “whenever we need it.”

The comments came after Russia on Thursday said the United States was acting in a dangerous and unpredictable way over the withdrew from a key military treaty and moved to ramp up pressure on Iran.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the comments after Washington announced it would end sanctions waivers for nations that remain in a nuclear accord signed with Iran. The remaining parties to the deal include Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.

US officials also said they would walk away from the Open Skies Treaty, which allows each signatory's military to conduct surveillance flights over another member country each year on short notice.

"Washington's actions are becoming more and more dangerous and unpredictable," Ms Zakharova told reporters.

"The nature of this behaviour is clearly disruptive," Ms Zakharova said, accusing Washington of undermining international security.

She also criticised the United States for exiting the INF missile treaty last year and failing to commit to renewing the New START arms control accord with Russia, which is due to expire in 2021.

President Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew the United States from a landmark agreement under which Iran had drastically curbed its nuclear activities and reimposed sanctions on Iran.

On Wednesday, Washington said it was ending sanctions waivers for the countries remaining in the Iran deal, bringing the agreement further to the verge of collapse.

Last week Trump also announced that he planned to withdraw the United States from the Open Skies Treaty, citing Russian violations.