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BAGHDAD – Iran and six world powers wrapped up talks Thursday still farapart over how to oversee Tehran's atomic program, but with resolveto keep dialogue going as an alternative to possible militaryaction. Envoys said they will meet again next month in Moscow afternegotiations stretched out for extra hours and a sandstorm shut theairport in Iraq's capital. But the two sides agreed on little elseduring two dramatic days of discussions that underscored theserious challenges of reaching accords between Iran and the West. "It is clear that we both want to make progress, and that there issome common ground," European Union foreign policy chief CatherineAshton, who is formally leading the talks, told reporters."However, significant differences remain. Nonetheless, we do agreeon the need for further discussion to expand that common ground." Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, offered a lukewarmassessment of what the negotiations achieved, in light of Europeanand American refusal to lift tough sanctions as Tehran had hoped. "The result of the talks was that we were able to get more familiarwith the views of each other," Jalili said at a press conferenceafter Ashton left. The Baghdad discussions began with hopes for progress before eachside accused the other of failing to offer meaningful, realisticproposals. More tellingly, they also showed that U.S. diplomats andothers are pressing neither for quick deals nor for ultimatums thatcould derail the sensitive talks. "We are moving in a step-by-step process," a senior Americanofficial told reporters in Baghdad's heavily protected Green Zone."It's good for them. It's good for us. It's good for the world." The tempered approach offers insights into shifting Americanpriorities over Iran's nuclear ambitions. The U.S. has gradually moved off its demands for an immediate andcomplete halt to Iran's ability to make nuclear fuel, which theWest and allies fear could someday provide the foundations ofwarhead-grade material. Iran denies it seeks atomic arms. Instead, the Baghdad talks unveiled a Western-backed incentivepackage that seeks to end Iran's highest-level uranium enrichmentas a first step. That leaves open speculation that Washington couldultimately accept Iran's demand to keep its enrichment labs inoperation — although possibly at reduced levels to producelower-grade fuel suitable for its lone power-generating reactor. Such a compromise would likely require Iran to reciprocate withmoves such as allowing greater U.N. nuclear inspections andsuspending work at a bunker-like enrichment site south of Tehran. The senior U.S. official said it was still "premature" to delveinto this type of endgame bargaining. "It's having the discussionabout the end of the road before you've taken the first step in theroad," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity todiscuss the negotiations more candidly. In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton saidsignificant differences remain between the two sides and that it'snow up to Iran "to close the gaps." "Iran now has the choice to make: Will it meet its internationalobligations and give the world confidence about its intentions ornot," Clinton said. The overall message, however, was somehow to keep talking. TheMoscow negotiations are set for June 18-19. "All parties in the talks want to gain time," said Bruno Tertrais,a senior researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research inParis. "The Western countries want sanctions to keep hitting Iran,and Iran wants to keep the talk of military action in thedistance." The open channels between Iran and the six-nation bloc — thefive permanent Security Council members plus Germany — couldpush back threats of military action that have shaken oil marketsand fostered fears of triggering a wider Middle East conflict. Oil prices rose toward $92 a barrel Thursday with the negotiationsfailing to hit a fast-track stride. Israeli leaders, on the other hand, have been highly critical ofthe talks, claiming it allows Iran to buy time and drive a wedgebetween Washington and Jerusalem. On Wednesday, Israel's defenseminister, Ehud Barak, said even possible moves by Iran to open itsnuclear facilities to greater U.N. inspect don't rule out apossible Israeli military strike. The world powers opened the Baghdad talks with a U.S.-backedproposal calling on Tehran to halt the production of 20 percentenriched uranium, which is the highest grade of enrichment thatIran has acknowledged. In exchange, the world powers offered benefits, including medicalisotopes, some nuclear safety cooperation and spare parts forcivilian airliners that are needed in Iran. Staking out a hard-line reply, Iran emphasized it has every rightto pursue uranium enrichment for peaceful uses. Jalili said Iranwould consider suspending the 20 percent level but only if theworld powers recognize its right to enrich uranium. He also said the West would have to give in to demands to supplyIran with enough nuclear fuel to run a Tehran medical researchreactor that currently depends on the 20 percent-level enricheduranium. "It could be an issue for cooperation over discussions related tothe Tehran reactor," Jalili said. Western leaders fear the 20 percent-level material — wellabove the 3.5 percent enrichment needed for energy-producingreactors — can be turned into warhead grade at about 90percent enrichment in a matter of months. Iran insists its reactorsare only for energy and research. Iran went into the talks urging the West to scale back on recentlytoughened sanctions, which have targeted Iran's critical oilexports and have effectively blackballed the country frominternational banking networks. The 27-nation European Union is setto ban all Iranian fuel imports on July 1, shutting the door onabout 18 percent of Iran's market. The senior U.S. official predicted the pace of the talks wouldspeed up in upcoming rounds. "We are urgent about it, because every day we don't figure this outis a day they keep going forward with a nuclear program," theofficial said. "And there are all kinds of assessments about howlong it will take them to get there." "We still think we have some time for diplomacy, but it's notindefinite," he said. Talks resumed in Istanbul last month more than a year after anattempt at Western dialogue with Iran collapsed. Iran pushed for the second round in Baghdad as a way to showcaseits regional influence and close ties to the Iraqi government afterthe U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq. During the talks, a mortarstrike outside the Green Zone killed at least one person andwounded eight, according to police and medical officials. The levelof violence has dropped dramatically in Iraq, although deadlyattacks on security forces and civilians are still common. ___ Associated Press writer Brian Murphy in Dubai, United ArabEmirates, contributed to this report. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Sublimated Cycling Wear , China Custom Hooded Sweatshirts for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Sublimated Basketball Uniforms.
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