MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti) - A senior British diplomat said Thursday that talks in Moscow between Iran and EU negotiators had failed to produce significant progress in the controversy around the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
No breakthrough had been achieved, but the meetings had been a useful opportunity to hear the Iranian position, the press secretary of the British Embassy in Moscow said.
European negotiators from France, Britain and Germany also repeated their demand that Tehran halt uranium enrichment, which can eventually lead to receiving bomb-grade fuel.
Iran, which has denied accusations of pursuing a covert military nuclear program and insisted on its right to conduct peaceful nuclear research, announced April 11 that it had successfully produced low-enriched uranium.
The announcement came ahead of a visit to Iran by Mohammed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, who was expected to look into Tehran's compliance with its non-proliferation commitments.
The countries will now wait for April 28, when the IAEA is expected to report to the UN Security Council, which could impose sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Meanwhile, U.S. President George W. Bush has refused to rule out a military attack on Iran if it continues to defy international concerns.
"All options are on the table," Bush said earlier this week, adding that a diplomatic solution would be preferable.
