Iran, World Power Nuclear Talks Suspended

EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton (left) and chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Said Jalili meet in Moscow on June 18.

Talks between officials from Iran and world powers on Iran's nuclear program have been suspended due to what European Union foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton said were "significant gaps between...the two positions."

Ashton said an "expert-level meeting" would be held on July 3 in Istanbul with a high-level meeting to follow at an unspecified date, depending on the progress of the expert-level meeting.

Iran's negotiator at the talks, Said Jalili, said this round of talks was "more serious, realistic" than before but he also insisted on his country's right to enrich uranium and called UN Security Council resolutions against Iran "illegal."

Two previous rounds of talks between Iran and six world powers -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany -- were also unsuccessful.

Based on reporting by dpa, Reuters, and AP