Iran nuclear talks round ends with big setbacks

VIENNA: Iran nuclear talks stalled Friday, casting a shadow on earlier advances and denting hopes that Tehran and six world powers will meet a July 20 target date for a deal meant to curb Iran´s atomic program while ending sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged the meeting made "no progress" in its ambitious goal of starting to draft an agreement meant to ease a decade of Western distrust about Tehran´s nuclear agenda in exchange for sanctions relief.

In that, "we failed," he told reporters. But while saying he was disappointed, he insisted that the result of the three-day talks that ended Friday represented no more than a setback at this point in continuing attempts to reach a deal.

A senior U.S. official — who demanded anonymity under U.S. briefing rules — said there was "great difficulty" in trying to move toward common positions and spoke of "significant" differences.

Both Araghchi and the official said further meetings were planned in June, but no dates were announced.

The failure to advance diminished a sense of optimism that had been growing since talks began Feb. 18 on a comprehensive deal. But while diplomats had spoken of some progress before the three-day round that ended Friday, they had also warned of difficult talks ahead on some issues, such as Iran´s enrichment program.

Iran says it has no interest in nuclear arms, and wants to enrich only to make reactor fuel. But because the technology can also create weapons-grade uranium for warheads depending on the level of enrichment, Washington and its allies want strict constraints on its size and scope. (AP)