Biden says Iranian enrichment to 60% unhelpful, but glad about talks

FILE PHOTO: Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi wears a mask as he speaks during a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, in Tehran, Iran August 25, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

(Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called Iran's enrichment of uranium to 60% purity unhelpful but said he is pleased Tehran is still in indirect talks with Washington about both countries resuming compliance with the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal.

Iran on Friday said it had begun enriching uranium to 60%, its highest level ever and a step closer to the 90% that is weapons grade, at its Natanz plant, where an explosion occurred earlier this week that Tehran blamed on Israel.