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Iran nuclear talks in Moscow 'yield no breakthrough' | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A new round of talks on Iran's nuclear programme being held in the Russian capital, Moscow, has yielded few signs of a breakthrough, reports say. | |
Russia's negotiator has said differences between Iran and the powers at the talks have proved "hard to reconcile", Russian media say. | |
The talks between Iran and six nations follows other recent inconclusive rounds in Istanbul and Baghdad. | |
The West suspects Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, a claim it denies. | |
Earlier this month, the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said talks held with Iran in Vienna had made "no progress". | |
The latest negotiations between between representatives of Tehran and the so-called P5+1 (US, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany) took place in Moscow's Golden Ring hotel. | |
Following the talks, Russian news agency Interfax quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying: "The main stumbling block is that the sides' positions are rather difficult and tough to reconcile." | |
Michael Mann, spokesman for the P5+1, told reporters there was an "intense and tough" exchange of views during the day. | |
"We agreed to reflect overnight on each other's positions," he said. | |
'Businesslike start' | |
It was in contrast to the start of the talks, when the respective lead negotiators - Saeed Jalili for Iran and Baroness Catherine Ashton for the P5+1 - nodded "hello" to one another and took their seats on opposite sides of a table separated by a bloom of white flowers. | |
Mr Mann told reporters then that the atmosphere was good and businesslike. | |
He said that the world powers were hoping that Iran would seriously engage with their concrete proposals. | |
These include a demand that Iran suspend enrichment of uranium to 20%, export its stockpile of 20%-enriched uranium and close down an underground enrichment facility near the city of Qom. | |
In return, the world powers say that they are prepared to start by offering help with nuclear safety measures. | In return, the world powers say that they are prepared to start by offering help with nuclear safety measures. |
Iran is seeking more though: it wants the West to lift sanctions, including an EU oil embargo and US measures against Iran's Central Bank. | |
It also says its "non-negotiable" right to enrich uranium must be recognised. | |