The United Kingdom, France and Germany have issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s plan to further expand its nuclear program.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reported to its members on Thursday that Iran had informed the agency of its plans to install more centrifuges in the Natanz and Fordow sites in the country’s central region.

The IAEA says that it verified at the Fordow plant that the installation of the centrifuges had begun.

The three countries said in the statement on Saturday that Iran’s steps “will further increase Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and enrichment capacity, which already significantly exceed JCPoA limits.”

The JCPoA is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed with Iran in 2015.

They said, “This decision is a further escalation of Iran’s nuclear program.”

The IAEA’s Board of Governors adopted a resolution on June 5 that calls on Iran to provide sufficient cooperation with its investigation into nuclear substances found at undeclared sites.

Apparently the latest moves by Iran are part of its strong reaction to the resolution.

Since May 2018, when the United States unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 agreement, Iran has been producing uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity. That far exceeds the limit set by the agreement.