“Iran has stockpiled 10 times as much enriched uranium as it had” in 2016.
Iran should strictly adhere to its JCPOA commitments and move away from using brinksmanship as leverage.[fn]In addition to delaying the transfer of centrifuge infrastructure in Fordow to storage in the Natanz facility until shortly before the 16 January 2017 deadline, Iran kept its heavy-water stockpile close to the 130-ton threshold, and its low-enriched uranium stockpile just under the 300kg cap. Crisis Group interviews, U.S. and European officials, Brussels, London and Vienna, November 2016. Asked about the calculus behind this, an Iranian official retorted: "Because 299kg is under 300kg. We committed to remain under 300kg, not to keep a large distance from it". Crisis Group interview, November 2016. Yet, as an EU official said, "implementing a long-duration agreement is difficult when you are always on the brink of surpassing the threshold, even if inadvertently".