The European Union's so-called "Big Three" and Iran failed to reach agreement over Tehran's nuclear program on Friday but decided to hold more talks in the future.

Iran had threatened before the five-hour meeting to resume sensitive atomic activities unless France, Britain and Germany agreed to allow it to carry out small-scale uranium enrichment.

"The informal talks have concluded. No conclusions were reached and both sides, the EU Three and Iran, have agreed to go away and reflect on what was discussed and to continue the discussions in future," said a British Foreign Office spokesman.

No immediate comment was available from Iran, accused by the United States of having a secret agenda to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the US charge, saying its nuclear program is solely for the generation of power.

The EU's three biggest powers, which share Washington's concerns, are spearheading talks aimed at persuading Iran to scrap its atomic fuel program in exchange for economic and political incentives. Tehran has so far refused.

The latest proposal from Tehran suggests it be allowed to build up its uranium enrichment program in stages, beginning with a small "pilot" enrichment plant and ending with a commercial-scale complex.
 
Hard negotiations

The EU powers hope to leave the hard negotiations on Tehran's atomic ambitions until after Iran's June 17 presidential elections on grounds that campaigning for the ballot could produce heightened tensions.

"We don't want to break things up now and have a row. We want to continue the negotiating process after the Iranian election," said a European diplomat, declining to be identified.

But a senior Iranian official, Sirus Naseri, said before the London meeting he wanted agreement soon.

"The foundation for agreement is in place," said Naseri. "We think it is unreasonable to avoid agreement," he added, insisting he was not putting "undue pressure" on the EU powers.

Iran has suspended its enrichment program under international pressure, but four months of talks with the Europeans have yielded no breakthrough and Iran says the program must resume.

"If there is no agreement and the Europeans insist on further time ... we may have to readjust the situation so it will be a more balanced position. It will not be balanced if the suspension will remain," said Naseri, in an apparent threat to resume enrichment unilaterally.

He later told Iran's official news agency IRNA: "In case of not reaching an agreement in London, Iran might be obliged to resume part of its uranium enrichment program, but in that case it will still continue the talks."

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, an influential former Iranian president preparing to run again in June, said Tehran was determined to embark on uranium enrichment and other branches of nuclear technology.
 
"And we will have it at any cost," he told worshippers in Tehran.

Washington warned Tehran not to leave the negotiating table or resume any parts of its enrichment program.

It also reminded the EU of its pledge to help refer Iran's case to the UN Security Council, which could lead to economic sanctions, if Tehran followed through on its latest threats.

"If Iran chooses to walk away from talks with the EU Three and end its current suspension ... the EU Three have already made clear to Iran that they would work with us and others to report Iran's nuclear program to the UN Security Council," a US official in Vienna told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

EU diplomats say Tehran knows the idea of "pilot" enrichment is unacceptable to them and to Washington, which takes a harder line than the Europeans despite last month giving its backing to the diplomatic initiative.

(Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies April 30, 2005)