Nuclear Chief: Donald Is "Delusional"

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran called US President Donald Trump "delusional" over his latest allegations that Iran has failed to uphold the spirit of the 2015 nuclear deal.

"I think Trump is living a somewhat delusional life," Ali Akbar Salehi also told reporters on the sidelines of the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

Trump on Thursday said he does not believe Iran is in compliance with the deal.

The claim by the hawkish Republican was against the backdrop of his recertification as recently as last month that Iran is in compliance of the accord.

That acknowledgment came in the form of the US administration's quarterly notification to Congress on Tehran's compliance, as required by the US law.

But Trump, who has made no secret of his desire to declare Tehran in breach of the deal when the next notification is due in three month, threatened some "very strong things" will take place "if they don't get themselves in compliance."

"I don't think they're living up to the spirit of the agreement," Trump alleged, without specifying the basis for making such a claim.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also reacted to Trump's Thursday remarks, chiding the US president for seeking to scrap the pact at Iran's expense.

"To avoid isolation, he's trying to blame it on Iran. Bad faith on top of US violating the letter and spirit [of the deal]," the top Iranian diplomat said in a Twitter message.

Trump has faulted the agreement negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama and has vowed to either undo or rework it. He has ordered a White House review of the deal and the Iran policy.

However, any unilateral pullout will alienate Washington's European partners, namely Britain, France, and Germany, that along with Russia and China helped negotiate the UN-buttressed agreement with Iran.

Salehi, whose mandate as Iran's nuclear chief was renewed for another four years in a decree last week by the recently reelected President Hassan Rouhani, said his organization will focus mainly on expanding the nuclear activities allowed by the accord.

"Our top priority will be to actively pursue our nuclear work in all its aspects," he said.

The landmark agreement with the six major powers was concluded on July 14, 2015, to ease sanctions against the Islamic Republic in return for placing curbs on its nuclear program for a specified duration of time.

Tehran has vehemently denied ever considering making a nuclear warhead and insists its nuclear work has never strayed from its peaceful path.

"A lot of activities are underway in the field of nuclear research and development, including developing new-generation centrifuges and heavy isotopes … Cooperation with Russia on the construction of two power plants is advancing smoothly," Salehi said.