China regrets Iran’s decision to boost uranium enrichment

China regrets Iran’s decision to boost uranium enrichment above a cap set in a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, its foreign ministry said on Monday, reiterating that the standoff needed to be resolved diplomatically.

At a daily briefing, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang also reiterated that China called on all sides involved to exercise restraint.

Iran announced Sunday it will raise its level of uranium enrichment, breaking another limit of its unraveling 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and further heightening tensions between Tehran and the US.

Officials told a news conference the new level would be reached later Sunday, but did not provide a percentage. Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said the new level “will be based on our needs.” Under the faltering nuclear deal, the cap for enrichment had been set at 3.67 percent.

The European Union on Sunday strongly urged Iran to stop actions that would undermine a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, saying it was in touch with other parties to the deal and may set up a joint commission to look into the issue.

“We are extremely concerned at Iran’s announcement that it has started uranium enrichment above the limit of 3.67%,” spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.