Iran Nuclear Talks Recess Without Progress

Talks between Iran and six world powers recessed today with no sign that Tehran was ready to discuss UN Security Council calls to curb its nuclear activities, an official at the negotiations said. While the two sides were scheduled to meet again tomorrow, the official's description of today's meeting gave little reason to presume that Iran would agree to address Security Council demands—which would, in turn, dash hopes of new meetings in the new year.

Iran's foreign minister said today that uranium enrichment programs couldn't be put "up for negotiation," while it's chief nuclear negotiator spent much of the afternoon in Geneva airing a list of grievances against the West dating to 1953. "Obviously we have not made progress," said the official. "Iran continues not to implement a series of demands of the Security Council." One Iran expert called the talks politically useful to both sides: Iran "for domestic cohesion between the conservative faction," and the West because it will give President Obama the ammunition to "isolate Iran in an unprecedented manner."
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