Iran wants 'sanctions relief' at nuclear talks

MOSCOW // Iran became more adamant yesterday that the world must remove the sanctions that are choking off its oil sales before it will curb activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons, diplomats said.

The development dampened hopes that talks this week in Moscow could bridge the gaps between the two sides.

The diplomats said Iran had asked the six world powers for discussions of "comprehensive sanctions relief" along with any consideration of their request that Tehran stop enriching uranium to a level that is just steps away from the purity needed to arm nuclear missiles.

The United States and others suspect that Iran is enriching uranium to develop nuclear weapons.Tehran denies this, saying all of its nuclear goals are peaceful. But fears have been fuelled by Tehran's refusal to stop enriching or accept uranium from abroad.

The diplomats spoke as talks between Iran and the six nations - the US, France, Russia, China, Britain and Germany - meant to reduce international concern about Tehran's nuclear intentions broke for lunch.

They said the morning session was inconclusive, with the sides no closer to agreement than at their last session in May in Baghdad, which ended with them far apart.

The six had hoped that the Iranian chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, would respond directly to their demand that his country stop enriching to 20 per cent and related requests, said the diplomats, who demanded anonymity because they were not authorised to talk about the closed session.

Instead, they said he presented his side's conditions for meaningful negotiations, including a request for "comprehensive sanctions relief," they said.

While Iran has previously mentioned lifting sanctions or staying pending ones, one of the diplomats said that its request yesterday was the most direct to date. That appeared to reflect the mounting pain from accumulated sanctions, particularly international embargoes on Iran's oil sales that now are gathering strength.

Diplomats from several nations meeting with Iran in Moscow depict the talks as significant. They said it could be the last in a series and if negotiators fail to make headway in persuading Tehran to stop higher-grade uranium enrichment, it's unclear if or when new talks would occur.

While Iran wants the other side to recognise its right to enrich and blink first by easing sanctions, the six nations have said the onus is on Tehran to show it is ready to compromise.

The talks are being convened by the European Union foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton. Her spokesman, Michael Mann, said the six were ready to "address the issues" raised by Tehran.

In addition to longer-term UN and other sanctions, Tehran is now being squeezed by the widening international embargo on its oil sales, which make up more than 90 per cent of its foreign currency earnings.

Sanctions levied by the US have already cut significantly into exports of Iranian crude from about 2.5 million barrels a day last year to between 1.2 and 1.8 million barrels now, according to estimates by US officials.

A European Union embargo on Iranian crude that starts July 1 will tighten the squeeze.

While not budging on lifting existing sanctions or those already decided upon, diplomats familiar with the talks, however, said that the six are prepared to guarantee that no new UN penalties will be enacted if Tehran shows enough compromise.