Iran abandoned the nuclear deal between itself and world powers Sunday, following the U.S. killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani on Friday. Iran said it would no longer abide by any and all “operational restrictions” on its enrichment of uranium, a key part of the terms of the 2015 nuclear accord that prevented Iran from acquiring sufficient material to build a nuclear bomb. A government statement said it would be Iran’s last move away from the deal since the Trump administration exited the agreement in May 2018. Iran said it would return to full compliance with the deal if the U.S. lifts economic sanctions imposed against it.
The announcement came Sunday night in Iran after hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of the Middle East country to mourn the death of Soleimani, Iran’s former top military commander. Soleimani, considered a terrorist by Washington, was killed in a drone strike on Friday as he departed Baghdad airport.
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