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| Iran nuclear talks end with two sides 'far apart on substance' | Iran nuclear talks end with two sides 'far apart on substance' |
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| Talks between Iran and six world powers ended in apparent failure on Saturday, with seemingly no progress made towards agreement over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The European Union foreign policy chief – and chief negotiator at the talks – Catherine Ashton said after the conclusion of discussions in Kazakhstan that the two sides still remained "far apart on substance". | Talks between Iran and six world powers ended in apparent failure on Saturday, with seemingly no progress made towards agreement over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The European Union foreign policy chief – and chief negotiator at the talks – Catherine Ashton said after the conclusion of discussions in Kazakhstan that the two sides still remained "far apart on substance". |
| Despite no agreement being reached, Russia suggested that the talks had been useful in allaying concerns over Iran's nuclear programmes. "Certainly these talks were a step forward," said the deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov said. However, Ryabkov conceded that the aim of forging an agreement between the parties had failed. "We could not reach a compromise this time," he said, adding that it was too early to put forward a new date and venue for a further round of negotiations. | |
| The two-day talks, which took place in the former Kazakstan capital Almaty, were attended by delegates from the US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany. It was the latest attempt to draw heat away from Iran's nuclear stand-off with the west, a confrontation that some fear could escalate into a new Middle East conflict. Hopes of a breakthrough were dashed on Friday, when it became apparent that the two sides were far apart on the main issues of sanctions and enrichment. | The two-day talks, which took place in the former Kazakstan capital Almaty, were attended by delegates from the US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany. It was the latest attempt to draw heat away from Iran's nuclear stand-off with the west, a confrontation that some fear could escalate into a new Middle East conflict. Hopes of a breakthrough were dashed on Friday, when it became apparent that the two sides were far apart on the main issues of sanctions and enrichment. |
| Western diplomats had offered limited relief on sanctions on Tehran. In return, they had asked for a commitment by Iran to abandon its higher-grade uranium enrichment, stopping short of 20% enrichment – a threshold that is just a technical step away from making the material weapons-grade. Tehran has argued that it is entitled to enrichment at that level, in order to convert the material into fuel for a medical-research reactor. It has also called for greater relief from damaging international sanctions that have blocked oil exports, restricted its banks and hit its economy. | Western diplomats had offered limited relief on sanctions on Tehran. In return, they had asked for a commitment by Iran to abandon its higher-grade uranium enrichment, stopping short of 20% enrichment – a threshold that is just a technical step away from making the material weapons-grade. Tehran has argued that it is entitled to enrichment at that level, in order to convert the material into fuel for a medical-research reactor. It has also called for greater relief from damaging international sanctions that have blocked oil exports, restricted its banks and hit its economy. |
| Tehran has always denied that it is seeking nuclear weapons, saying it is seeking enrichment for civilian programmes. But Iran's foes, notably Israel, fear that this is merely a front for acquiring a nuclear bomb. Israel has repeatedly called on the US to take a more hawkish line on Iran, with air strikes being pushed as a possible way of crippling the nuclear programme. | Tehran has always denied that it is seeking nuclear weapons, saying it is seeking enrichment for civilian programmes. But Iran's foes, notably Israel, fear that this is merely a front for acquiring a nuclear bomb. Israel has repeatedly called on the US to take a more hawkish line on Iran, with air strikes being pushed as a possible way of crippling the nuclear programme. |
| In Israel last month, president Barack Obama vowed to do "what is necessary" to stop Iran from getting the bomb. But he stressed that diplomatic routes had not been exhausted and that there was "still time" for a peaceful solution. | In Israel last month, president Barack Obama vowed to do "what is necessary" to stop Iran from getting the bomb. But he stressed that diplomatic routes had not been exhausted and that there was "still time" for a peaceful solution. |
| Such optimism regarding a negotiated way out of long-running stand-off now appears to be fading. On the conclusion of the Almaty talks, Ashton said: "What matters in the end is substance, and … we are still a considerable distance apart." | Such optimism regarding a negotiated way out of long-running stand-off now appears to be fading. On the conclusion of the Almaty talks, Ashton said: "What matters in the end is substance, and … we are still a considerable distance apart." |
| Iran's chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, noted that despite two days of talks, a significant gap remained. "We proposed our plan of action and the other party was not ready and they asked for some time to study the idea," he told reporters. | Iran's chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, noted that despite two days of talks, a significant gap remained. "We proposed our plan of action and the other party was not ready and they asked for some time to study the idea," he told reporters. |
| The US State Department said on Saturday that it had nothing to add to the EU negotiators' remarks. | The US State Department said on Saturday that it had nothing to add to the EU negotiators' remarks. |
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