Iran will reduce its commitments to nuclear deal, says Rouhani

Iransaid it had started scaling back parts of its commitments under its 2015 nuclear deal on Wednesday (May 8) and threatened to do more if world powers did not protect it from US sanctions, a year after Washington pulled out of the pact.

In a speech broadcast on national television, President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran would move on to resuming high-level uranium enrichment if the remaining signatories Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia - did not make good on promises to shield its oil and banking sectors in the next 60 days.

Rouhani has written to the leaders of those countries, saying it will start rolling back some of its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal on Wednesday, and will no longer sell enriched uranium and heavy water to other nations.

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Rouhani warned of a firm response ifIran's nuclear case is referred again to the United Nations Security Council, but said Tehran was ready for negotiations over its nuclear programme.

USPresident Donald Trump pulled out of the deal last year, and subsequently reimposed tough sanctions onIran, including on its lifeblood oil exports with the stated intent of reducing them to zero and starvingIran's economy.