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Iran Balks at Nuclear Offer

Talks in Baghdad continuing today

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted May 24, 2012 4:20 AM CDT | Updated May 24, 2012 5:54 AM CDT

(Newser) – Talks between Iran and six world powers about Iran's nuclear program yesterday yielded only an agreement to keep talking today. During the talks in Baghdad, negotiators offered Iran a package of benefits for freezing uranium enrichment, but the country's official news agency slammed the package as "outdated, not comprehensive, and unbalanced," reports the Washington Post. The talks between representatives from Iran and "P5+1" nations Russia, China, the US, Britain, France, and Germany lasted until after midnight.

The negotiators did not offer Iran immediate relief from sanctions, or offer to reconsider the European Union ban on oil imports from Iran set to take effect July 1. "The international community hasn't done something wrong here. We haven't created a suspicious nuclear weapons program that the world doesn't know the answers to—Iran has," a senior US official tells AP, describing the talks as the beginning of a long process. "They are the party who has acted to create concerns in the international community."

Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator Saeed Jalili chats with EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton in Baghdad yesterday.
Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator Saeed Jalili chats with EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton in Baghdad yesterday.   (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Negotiators arrive at the Baghdad International Airport yesterday.
Negotiators arrive at the Baghdad International Airport yesterday.   (AP Photo/Mohammed Ameen, Pool)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 23 comments
Plato
May 24, 2012 9:52 PM CDT
I just know youse guys are just waiting to hear my opinion on this topic.  So here it is.  Iran is not a threat to our country, we should not bomb and go to war with Iran.
JimW
May 24, 2012 2:19 PM CDT
C'mon, be serious. It is all about money. They will "Balk" until the cows come home, because it keeps oil prices high. Sanctions? Sure didn't stop Saddam from selling oil.
Fondue
May 24, 2012 9:23 AM CDT
A lot of finger-pointing going on from the US probably isn't going to be helpful.
 

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