[ti:Reports: Iran Increases Production of Enriched Uranium] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]Iran has increased production of low-enriched uranium at a time of tensions with the United States [00:09.92]over Iran's nuclear deal with western powers. [00:14.09]Two semi-official Iranian news agencies reported Monday that Iran now produces four times as much low-enriched uranium as before. [00:28.48]Enriched uranium can be used to produce nuclear power. [00:33.96]It also can be used to make nuclear weapons. [00:39.12]The news agency reports appeared just after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran it would face its "official end" if it ever threatened America again. [00:55.00]His warning comes after days of increased tensions between the two sides. [01:02.08]The tensions were fueled by the Trump administration's deployment of bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf. [01:12.92]U.S. officials have defended the move, saying it was to answer threats from Iran. [01:20.84]Administration officials plan to inform U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday about the threat they say that Iran poses to the country and U.S. interests. [01:34.88]Earlier this month, officials of the United Arab Emirates claimed that four oil transport ships were sabotaged. [01:46.00]Yemeni rebels allied with Iran used drone aircraft to launch an attack on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. [01:56.72]And U.S. diplomats said airline companies could be mistakenly attacked by Iran, an idea Iran has dismissed. [02:08.56]The tensions between Iran and the United States come one year after Trump decided the U.S. would withdraw from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. [02:24.80]Both the United States and Iran say they do not want war. [02:30.80]Yet many observers worry any mistake by either side could lead to events out of their control. [02:41.28]Both the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported on the increased production of enriched uranium. [02:52.08]They said the information came from a spokesman for Iran's nuclear agency. [02:59.57]The official said Iran "in weeks" would reach the 300-kilogram limit set by the nuclear deal. [03:09.16]He added that the government had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency about its move. [03:18.48]Trump's comment came just hours after a Katyusha rocket fell in Baghdad's Green Zone, about 1.5 kilometers from the U.S. Embassy. [03:32.64]No injuries were reported. [03:35.44]An Iraqi military official told the Associated Press that the rocket was fired from East Baghdad. [03:45.12]That area is home to many Iran-supported militias. [03:50.20]Trump wrote on Twitter, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" [04:01.36]Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Trump was making "genocidal taunts. [04:11.28]He ended his tweet with "Try respect – it works!" [04:17.80]Trump ordered the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and strengthened sanctions against Iran. [04:29.76]The U.S. government also has warned of actions against other nations if they import Iranian oil. [04:39.36]Iran just announced it was backing away from the nuclear deal in which Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium if sanctions were removed. [04:51.24]Iran has given European countries 60 days to come up with a new deal or it will begin enriching uranium at a higher level. [05:03.32]Iran has always said it does not seek nuclear weapons. [05:08.68]But Western nations have questioned this claim. [05:13.76]Appearing on Fox News television on Sunday, Trump called the 2015 nuclear deal a "horror show." [05:24.24]"I just don't want them to have nuclear weapons and they can't be threatening us," he said. [05:31.53]Yet the nuclear deal had prevented Iran from getting enough highly-enriched uranium for a bomb. [05:40.89]United Nations inspectors repeatedly said that Iran was honoring the deal. [05:49.60]On Sunday, the U.S. Navy announced it would begin security patrols in international waters along with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. [06:01.76]The council includes many Gulf States. [06:05.08]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM