WASHINGTON (JTA) — Talks between world powers and Iran on its nuclear program ended with Iran reportedly reluctant to advance without sanctions concessions.
The talks conducted on Wednesday and Thursday in Baghdad between Iran and Russia, the United States, China, Britain France and Germany ended inconclusively, multiple media reports said, because Iran wanted a hold on major European oil sanctions set to kick in July 1 in exchange for staying at the table.
Western powers have emphasized that sanctions would remain in place until Iran provably made its program more transparent and suspended some enrichment of uranium — a key demand of Israel, which has expressed concern that Iran is buying time with the talks.
The next round of talks will be held in Moscow, June 17-19.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Western experts say evidence increasingly suggests that Iran is close to a capability to build a nuclear weapon.
