Ashton announces suspension of Iran nuclear talks

MOSCOW (AP) — High-level nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers fizzled Tuesday, creating increased opportunity for Israel to use the setback to argue military force is the only way to stop Tehran from developing atomic arms.

As she announced the indefinite pause in negotiations, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said they could be resumed — but only if a low-level July 3 meeting of technical experts in Istanbul finds enough common ground to warrant such a step.

Officials involved in the talks from Western nations acknowledged huge differences between the two sides but insisted the diplomatic track had not been derailed. But the lack of progress in Moscow is sure to be seen by critics as a sign that talks are ineffective at persuading Tehran to curb uranium enrichment, a process that can make both reactor fuel and the core of nuclear warheads.

Strong comments by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius of France, one of the countries at the table in Moscow, reflected Western frustration. He spoke of "the large gap between the two sides,” and warned that "sanctions will continue to be toughened” to pressure Tehran into a nuclear compromise.

Iran says it is not interested in nuclear weapons. But Israel says Iran is stretching out the talks to move closer to the ability to make them, and it has threatened to attack the Islamic Republic as a last resort. Israel may argue that the negotiations are turning into "talks about talks” — something the US and its allies have vowed they will not tolerate.

Ahead of the inconclusive last round of talks in Baghdad on May 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Tehran of playing a "chess game” with the international community, declaring he sees "no evidence whatsoever that Iran is serious about ending its nuclear program.”

Netanyahu did not present any ultimatums then, but Israeli officials have repeatedly said time is running out to avoid military action as a last resort to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear arms. It’s a scenario with potential to draw the US into a war between the Jewish state and Iran. (...)