Iran Nuclear Talks End Without Breakthrough

Talks between Iran and Western powers over Tehran's nuclear plans have ended without any progress.

The results of the two-day summit in Istanbul - which involved Britain, the US, France, Russia and China - were "disappointing", said the EU's foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton.

Baroness Ashton said: "This is not the conclusion I'd hoped for.

"We'd hoped to embark on a discussion of practical ways forward and have made every effort to make that happen. I am disappointed."

No further talks between Iran and the six powers have been planned.

The US and other countries accuse Tehran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, although Iran insists its atomic energy programme is peaceful.

Baroness Ashton added: ""The process can go forward if Iran chooses to respond positively.

"The door remains open. The choice remains in Iran's hands."

The talks in Turkey's largest city were a follow-up to a meeting in Geneva last month which was the first set of discussions between the two sides in more than a year.

Iran appears to have insisted on preconditions that were unacceptable to the West, including the lifting of sanctions and recognition of its right to enrich uranium.

Following the end of the latest talks, Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief negotiator, said: "Any kind of talks and co-operation, as I underlined during the talks with Mrs Ashton, should be based on respecting the nations' rights ... including Iran's right to nuclear technology."

Tehran has ignored UN Security Council resolutions demanding it suspend enrichment, with trade and other benefits offered in return, and refused to grant unfettered access for UN nuclear inspectors.

Source - Yahoo.