Iran on Saturday ruled out freezing its uranium enrichment program, casting doubt over the value of its talks with six world powers less then an hour after they started.

The talks — with the U.S. in attendance for the first time — had raised expectations of possible compromise on a formula under which Iran would agree to stop expanding its enrichment activities. In exchange, the six powers — including the five permanent U.N. Security Council members — would hold off on passing new U.N. sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

advertisement

But the comments from Keyvan Imani, a member of the Iranian delegation, appeared to indicate that his government was not prepared to budge on enrichment — at least going into the talks.

"Suspension — there is no chance for that," he told reporters gathered in the courtyard of Geneva's ornate City Hall, the venue of the negotiations.

There also appeared to be little progress inside the talks.

A Western diplomat in Geneva familiar with their substance said the Iranians were focusing on "the second or third step" of substantial negotiations without addressing what the six powers say is a prerequisite for such talks to happen — a freeze of their enrichment program.

The presence of U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns at the talks — the first instance of the Americans attending such meetings — had led to hopes of compromise.

The enrichment issue is key because the activity can produce either fuel for nuclear power stations or the material used in the fissile core of warheads. Iran has defied three sets of U.N. sanctions demanding it cease its program, saying it has a right to its peaceful uses under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. But there is growing concern the Islamic Republic might want to build nuclear weapons instead.

The US and its five partners –France , Britain, China, Russia and Germany, remain committed to getting a full halt to Iranian enrichment. Still the US decision to attend shows that Washington may accept “freeze for freeze”, something less than full suspension, at least as a first step.

Freeze for freeze envisions a six week commitment from both sides . Meaning negotiations would start, Iran could continue enrichment but only at its present level , and the US and its allies would stop pushing for new UN sanctions.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------