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Iranian, European officials hold talks on nuclear program

Iranian and European negotiators met in secrecy here on Friday to seek agreement over Iran's nuclear program, and Iranian leaders increased pressure for a quick deal to permit them to resume enriching uranium for nuclear fuel.

Despite the tough talk from figures in Tehran, including former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, officials from both sides said the talks on Friday night were unlikely to reach any kind of breakthrough.

Negotiations

The US and Europe have pushed Iran to renounce all uranium enrichment as a guarantee against a clandestine program to make weapons-grade uranium.

Under international pressure, Iran has suspended its uranium enrichment program and has been negotiating with Britain, France and Germany over the future of the program. Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is exclusively for electric power generation.

Sanctions possible

The US has warned that if Iran ends the talks and resumes enrichment, Washington will seek action from the UN Security Council, possibly leading to economic sanctions.

The Europeans have taken a less confrontational tack, seeking to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear program in return for economic concessions.

On the Iranian side, however, the issue has been wrapped up in the country's looming presidential elections on June 17, and European diplomats say they fear that recent Iranian statements may reflect political posturing.

US opposition

Iran is seeking European assent to a small experimental enrichment program, but both the Europeans and the US oppose the idea.

In Tehran on Friday, Rafsanjani said Iran was "determined to have all branches of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, and we will have it at any cost," according to reports.

Rafsanjani's words echoed remarks on Thursday by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, who said, "If talks with European Union are not successful tomorrow, negotiations will collapse, and we will have no choice but to restart the uranium enrichment program."

Low expectations

But the senior officials from both sides who are conducting the talks seemed anxious to play down any high expectations from the London encounter.

The head of the Iranian negotiators, Muhammad Javad Zarif, citing remarks by other Iranian officials, said: "We engage in these talks in order to make a deal, and not to break one. We are hoping for tangible progress on reaching an agreement."
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