Iran has launched a plan to boost uranium enrichment capacity with new centrifuges. The International Atomic Energy Agency has been informed of the plan. The move comes as European diplomats look to save the 2015 nuclear deal after Washington pulled out earlier this year. Zhang Dan has more.

Iran will increase its nuclear enrichment capacity, but it will remain within the limits set by the 2015 agreement with world powers.

ALI AKBAR SALEHI HEAD, ATOMIC ENERGY ORGANIZATION OF IRAN "Right now the electrical infrastructure and utilities in Natanz are ready for hundreds of thousands of SWUs. We have started the work. Yesterday we sent a letter about the start of some activities to the IAEA."

That was in line with the orders from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On Monday he vowed never to accept limits on Tehran's nuclear development. Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rallying support from allies against Iran during his European tour. At a joint news briefing with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Netanyahu warned of severe consequences if nothing is done.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER "The greatest threat to the world today in my view is nuclear weapons in the hands of a radical Islamic regime like Tehran. And I believe now is the time to apply maximum pressure on Iran, make sure that their nuclear program doesn't go anywhere."

Macron disagrees. Though he believes the deal to be insufficient - he says it's better than nothing.

EMMANUEL MACRON FRENCH PRESIDENT "I took note of the declarations made by Iran. Now, these declarations are not, by nature, a way of abandoning the 2015 Accord. So I could over-interpret their answer or consider this as an infringement, but I don't know if this is reasonable."

European diplomats have been trying to save the deal. Iran said it would remain in the nuclear deal only if they were protected from renewed U.S. sanctions.

Iran's increasing capacity to enrich uranium to higher levels was one of the toughest issues during years of negotiations. World powers wanted enrichment limited to a research scale to minimise the risk of Iran being able to assemble a nuclear bomb at short notice. CGTN.