 Senior U.N. nuclear inspectors and Iran ended two days of talks in Tehran on Thursday with no sign of a breakthrough in unblocking their investigation into suspected atomic bomb research in the Islamic state, Reuters reported.
| I know, I know, you're as surprised as I am... |
Iran's ISNA and Fars news agencies reported that a further meeting between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran would be held on February 12 in the Iranian capital, but gave no details.
The Vienna-based U.N. agency had hoped to finalize an elusive framework deal with Iran this week that would allow the IAEA to resume a long-stalled inquiry into suspected military dimensions to the country's nuclear program.
| Hopes and three Euros gets you a coffee in Paris... |
Diplomats in Vienna said they did not yet have a read-out on how the talks in the Iranian capital had ended, but made clear they were not optimistic that an agreement had been struck.
| Which about tells you how it went... |
They said they believed there had still been key differences during Thursday's discussions.
| That's why they're diplomats, you know, they're perceptive to stuff like this that mere mortals like you and me would miss... |
World powers were monitoring the IAEA-Iran talks for any signs as to whether Tehran, facing intensifying sanctions pressure, may be prepared to finally start tackling mounting international concerns about its nuclear activity. |