A spokesman for Iran's atomic agency says the country will break the uranium stockpile limit set by Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers in the next 10 days, Al Arabiya reports.

Behrouz Kamalvandi made the comment in a news conference carried live on Iranian state television on Monday, June 17.

Kamalvandi said Tehran will increase uranium enrichment levels 'based on the country's needs.'

He spoke to local journalists at Iran's Arak heavy water facility.

The spokesman added that there is still time for european countries to “help protect iran from us sanctions… but they need to act not talk.”

His comments come in the wake of suspected attacks on oil tankers last week in the region that Washington has blamed on Iran and amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US, a year after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America for the nuclear deal.

Kamalvandi acknowledged that the country already quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium.