Nuclear Talks with Iran Collapse

22 January 2011

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton speaks to the media after two-day talks between Iran and world powers on Iran's nuclear program at the historical Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, 22 Jan 2011

The European Union policy chief Catherine Ashton expressed frustration over the failure of the two days of talks, but said Iran was to blame.

"We had hoped to embark on a discussion of practical ways forward, and have made every effort to make that happen. I am disappointed to say that this has not been possible," she said.

Ashton led a delegation of countries that is known as the P5+1, United States, Britain, Russia , France China, and Germany in negotiations with Iran over its controversial nuclear energy program. It is suspected of using the program to build an atomic bomb, a charge Tehran denies.

The Istanbul meeting follows talks in Geneva. Ashton said the Geneva talks had agreed that the Istanbul meeting would focus on detailed proposals. The two days of talks centered on what is described as confidence building measures which included a deal that Iran would exchange some of its low enriched uranium in exchange for nuclear fuel for Tehran's Research Reactor. Similar agreements had been attempted both in 2009 and 2010 .

But Ashton said Iran had insisted on unacceptable preconditions such as a lifting of United Nations sanctions.