Iran has started enriching uranium at its underground plant in Natanz, according to a report by the UN's nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency&nbsp;(IAEA).

Reuters reported that the enrichment at Natanz was of the second type of advanced centrifuge, the IR-4.

Watch:

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The IAEA report claimed that Iran has indicated that it plans to install a second cascade of IR-4 centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), although the installation hasn't begun as yet.

“In summary, as of 15 March 2021, Iran was using 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges installed in 30 cascades, 522 IR-2m centrifuges installed in three cascades and 174 IR-4 centrifuges installed in one cascade, to enrich natural UF6 up to 5% U-235 at FEP,” Reuters quoted the IAEA report as saying.

Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a video conference with the European Policy Centre think tank had said: "Europeans are used to compromise. Iran and the United States are not. The Americans are used to imposing, and we are used to resisting," asserting that a compromise was needed to end the nuclear deal deadlock.

The US had walked out of the 2015 nuclear deal under the Trump administration in 2018 and reimposed punishing sanctions on Tehran.

The Biden administration along with its European allies have been trying to salvage the pact as Iran said it was ready to go back to the JCPOA immediately after the United States goes back to the implementation of the agreement.

"The current US administration or the next administration will not be able to achieve a better deal with Iran than the JCPOA. Not with this government and not with any future government. This is the best possible deal," Zarif said.

However, the United States has said it will not offer Iran unilateral incentives to attend talks over compliance with the nuclear deal.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said: "If the Iranians are under the impression that, absent any movement on their part to resume full compliance with the (nuclear deal), that we will offer favours or unilateral gestures, well that's a misimpression."

Iran has started enriching uranium at its underground plant in Natanz, according to a report by the UN's nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran has started enriching uranium at its underground plant in Natanz, according to a report by the UN's nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Reuters reported that the enrichment at Natanz was of the second type of advanced centrifuge, the IR-4. Watch: The IAEA report claimed that Iran has indicated that it plans to install a second cascade of IR-4 centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), although the installation hasn't begun as yet. “In summary, as of 15 March 2021, Iran was using 5,060 IR-1 centrifuges installed in 30 cascades, 522 IR-2m centrifuges installed in three cascades and 174 IR-4 centrifuges installed in one cascade, to enrich natural UF6 up to 5% U-235 at FEP,” Reuters quoted the IAEA report as saying. Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a video conference with the European Policy Centre think tank had said: "Europeans are used to compromise. Iran and the United States are not. The Americans are used to imposing, and we are used to resisting," asserting that a compromise was needed to end the nuclear deal deadlock. The US had walked out of the 2015 nuclear deal under the Trump administration in 2018 and reimposed punishing sanctions on Tehran. The Biden administration along with its European allies have been trying to salvage the pact as Iran said it was ready to go back to the JCPOA immediately after the United States goes back to the implementation of the agreement. "The current US administration or the next administration will not be able to achieve a better deal with Iran than the JCPOA. Not with this government and not with any future government. This is the best possible deal," Zarif said. However, the United States has said it will not offer Iran unilateral incentives to attend talks over compliance with the nuclear deal. State Department spokesman Ned Price said: "If the Iranians are under the impression that, absent any movement on their part to resume full compliance with the (nuclear deal), that we will offer favours or unilateral gestures, well that's a misimpression."

Iran enriching uranium at underground plant at Natanz, says UN watchdog IAEA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought on Tuesday to convince European states to abandon a nuclear deal with Iran, saying that Tehran's threats to increase uranium enrichment capacity showed it still planned to destroy Israel.

He arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a tour to persuade the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - to follow Washington's lead in scrapping the accord that they signed with Tehran in 2015.

The three European states are currently scrambling to save the deal - under which Iran promised to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifted sanctions - seeing it as the best chance to stop Tehran developing a nuclear bomb.

But Israel argues that Iran has duped the West and plans to use the break from sanctions to build up its financial reserves before returning to its nuclear plans.

"The day before yesterday Ayatollah Khamenei, the ruler of Iran, declared his intention to destroy the State of Israel. Yesterday he explained how he would do this – with the unrestricted enrichment of uranium in order to produce an arsenal of nuclear bombs," Netanyahu said in a video statement on Twitter.

"We are not surprised. We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," he said.

On Sunday, Khamenei's office tweeted what appeared to be an old quote from Iran's top leader that referred to Israel as a "malignant cancerous tumor" that needed to be removed.

A day later, Khamenei said he had ordered preparations to increase uranium enrichment capacity if the nuclear agreement fell apart after the U.S. withdrawal. He did not mention any plans for "unrestricted" enrichment or refer to an arsenal.

The European states have been trying to come up with a package to ring-fence trade with Iran against renewed U.S. financial sanctions to dissuade Tehran from quitting the accord.

But they are struggling to convince firms to remain in Iran or create the financial instruments that could even enable them to do so.

"If Iran does not get the financial guarantees in oil and access to the financial system, then I don't see Iran sticking to the deal because the pressure from hardliners is only increasing," said a Western official.

"It is quite possible they will resume enrichment capacity and research and development of advanced centrifuges to show the Europeans and the world that they are serious."

French officials said Macron would tell Netanyahu that the threat to increase enrichment merely highlighted the need to keep the accord to stop Iran getting an atomic weapon.

Israel is presumed to have its own sizable nuclear arsenal but neither confirms nor denies it.

He arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a tour to persuade the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - to follow Washington's lead in scrapping the accord that they signed with Tehran in 2015

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought on Tuesday to convince European states to abandon a nuclear deal with Iran, saying that Tehran's threats to increase uranium enrichment capacity showed it still planned to destroy Israel. He arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a tour to persuade the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - to follow Washington's lead in scrapping the accord that they signed with Tehran in 2015. The three European states are currently scrambling to save the deal - under which Iran promised to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifted sanctions - seeing it as the best chance to stop Tehran developing a nuclear bomb. But Israel argues that Iran has duped the West and plans to use the break from sanctions to build up its financial reserves before returning to its nuclear plans. "The day before yesterday Ayatollah Khamenei, the ruler of Iran, declared his intention to destroy the State of Israel. Yesterday he explained how he would do this – with the unrestricted enrichment of uranium in order to produce an arsenal of nuclear bombs," Netanyahu said in a video statement on Twitter. "We are not surprised. We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," he said. On Sunday, Khamenei's office tweeted what appeared to be an old quote from Iran's top leader that referred to Israel as a "malignant cancerous tumor" that needed to be removed. A day later, Khamenei said he had ordered preparations to increase uranium enrichment capacity if the nuclear agreement fell apart after the U.S. withdrawal. He did not mention any plans for "unrestricted" enrichment or refer to an arsenal. The European states have been trying to come up with a package to ring-fence trade with Iran against renewed U.S. financial sanctions to dissuade Tehran from quitting the accord. But they are struggling to convince firms to remain in Iran or create the financial instruments that could even enable them to do so. "If Iran does not get the financial guarantees in oil and access to the financial system, then I don't see Iran sticking to the deal because the pressure from hardliners is only increasing," said a Western official. "It is quite possible they will resume enrichment capacity and research and development of advanced centrifuges to show the Europeans and the world that they are serious." French officials said Macron would tell Netanyahu that the threat to increase enrichment merely highlighted the need to keep the accord to stop Iran getting an atomic weapon. Israel is presumed to have its own sizable nuclear arsenal but neither confirms nor denies it.

Seeking French support, Netanyahu raises alarm over Iran enrichment plan

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Iran enriching uranium at underground plant at Natanz, says UN watchdog IAEA

Seeking French support, Netanyahu raises alarm over Iran enrichment plan