Meeting in Moscow
Top world powers meet on Iran nuclear impasse
Top world powers were to meet in Moscow Tuesday to synchronize efforts to defuse fears Iran could try to make an atomic bomb, though Tehran showed no sign of compromise over a nuclear program it says is strictly for generating energy.
The talks among China, Europe, Russia and the United States were being held at the level of deputy foreign ministers, but Russian officials were tight-lipped with details on the venue and agenda of the meeting.
Britain, France and Germany -- the "EU-3" -- appear to support steps against Iran such as possible imposition of sanctions, but would be reticent in the extreme about the prospect of military action should sanctions fail to achieve desired results.
Russia and China say they fully share opposition to Iran acquiring the capability to build its own nuclear weapons. Both countries however have extensive commercial and strategic links to Tehran and have so far warded off even UN threats of sanctions against Tehran.
On the eve of Tuesday's talks in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a private meeting with China's envoy to the meeting, Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, who arrived in Moscow after holding talks with top Iranian officials in Tehran.
The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov and Cui discussed "developments surrounding the Iranian nuclear program," but offered no further details.
Speaking during a visit to Kuwait on Monday, Iran's influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said he was sure the Islamic republic's Gulf neighbours would not support any US assault on his country over its nuclear programme.
"We are certain that Gulf countries will not back the United States in waging an attack on Iran," Rafsanjani said.
Iran's top envoy to Russia meanwhile said his country was prepared for war over its nuclear program but was banking on resolving the impasse over it peacefully.
"One way to avert war is to be prepared for any war," Iranian Ambassador Gholamreza Ansari was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on the eve of the Moscow talks.
"Iran has been, is and will be prepared" to fight if need be, but "continues to make a maximum effort so that no war will happen in this region," Ansari was quoted as saying.
Top world powers were to meet in Moscow Tuesday to synchronize efforts to defuse fears Iran could try to make an atomic bomb, though Tehran showed no sign of compromise over a nuclear program it says is strictly for generating energy.
The talks among China, Europe, Russia and the United States were being held at the level of deputy foreign ministers, but Russian officials were tight-lipped with details on the venue and agenda of the meeting.
Britain, France and Germany -- the "EU-3" -- appear to support steps against Iran such as possible imposition of sanctions, but would be reticent in the extreme about the prospect of military action should sanctions fail to achieve desired results.
Russia and China say they fully share opposition to Iran acquiring the capability to build its own nuclear weapons. Both countries however have extensive commercial and strategic links to Tehran and have so far warded off even UN threats of sanctions against Tehran.
On the eve of Tuesday's talks in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a private meeting with China's envoy to the meeting, Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, who arrived in Moscow after holding talks with top Iranian officials in Tehran.
The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov and Cui discussed "developments surrounding the Iranian nuclear program," but offered no further details.
Speaking during a visit to Kuwait on Monday, Iran's influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said he was sure the Islamic republic's Gulf neighbours would not support any US assault on his country over its nuclear programme.
"We are certain that Gulf countries will not back the United States in waging an attack on Iran," Rafsanjani said.
Iran's top envoy to Russia meanwhile said his country was prepared for war over its nuclear program but was banking on resolving the impasse over it peacefully.
"One way to avert war is to be prepared for any war," Iranian Ambassador Gholamreza Ansari was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on the eve of the Moscow talks.
"Iran has been, is and will be prepared" to fight if need be, but "continues to make a maximum effort so that no war will happen in this region," Ansari was quoted as saying.
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