No deal seen clinched in UN nuclear talks with Iran
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VIENNA/DUBAI (REUTERS) - The United Nations (UN) nuclear watchdog and Iran appear to have failed again in talks this week to finalise a deal to unblock an investigation into suspected atom bomb research in the Islamic state, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.
The UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran were expected to hold a further meeting on Feb 12, following two days of negotiations in Teheran that ended on Thursday, the source added, giving no further details.
The apparent absence of a breakthrough in the Jan 16 to Jan 17 discussions in the Iranian capital signalled a new setback for efforts to allay mounting international concern over Teheran's atomic aims and help avert the threat of a new Middle East war.
The Vienna-based UN agency had hoped to clinch an elusive framework agreement with Iran that would allow the IAEA to resume a long-stalled inquiry into suspected military dimensions to the country's nuclear programme.
