WATCH: State Department says U.S. is still pushing for an Iran nuclear deal despite setbacks

Politics

The State Department says the U.S. will continue to push for an Iran deal despite recent setbacks in negotiations.

Watch the briefing in the player above.

"There is really only one ultimate end goal of this deal," said State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel.

"That is to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. And that continues to be our vision forward and be the reason why we continue to pursue this, because we believe that a mutual return to compliance will help us get there. It will put restraints on Iran's nuclear program. It's an important step for regional stability and in the national security interest of the United States."

This comes as the U.N. atomic watchdog said Wednesday it believes Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium that is highly enriched to one short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels.

The International Atomic Energy Agency also voiced increasing concerns over Tehran's lack of engagement with a probe that has become a sticking point in efforts to revive the Islamic Republic's nuclear deal with world powers.

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In its confidential quarterly report, the IAEA told member nations that it believes Iran has an estimated 55.6 kilograms (122.6 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent fissile purity, an increase of 12.5 kilograms since May.

That enrichment to 60 percent purity is one short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent. Nonproliferation experts have warned that Iran now has enough 60 percent-enriched uranium to reprocess into fuel for at least one nuclear bomb.

"The IAEA report indicated, Iran now has a substantial amount of highly enriched uranium for it, which it has no credible civilian use," said Patel.

"But in a mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA, Iran would need to get rid of all of its enriched uranium stockpile, aside from the limits that were laid out in the JCPOA."

Patel was also asked about records taken during the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago as part of a probe into Former President Donald Trump's inappropriate retention of sensitive material from the White House.

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WATCH: State Department says U.S. is still pushing for an Iran nuclear deal despite setbacks first appeared on the PBS News website.

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