Russia-Iran enrichment talks shaky but continue

MOSCOW (Feb. 22)- Iran and Russia ended two days of talks in Moscow with no progress reported on ending the international standoff over Iran's nuclear program, although Tehran's chief negotiator Tuesday called the talks "positive and constructive."
The Russian foreign minister also expressed optimism, declining to say the talks failed.
Iran insists on its right to develop a nuclear energy program that Western countries suspect is a cover for producing nuclear weapons. Moscow has proposed moving Iran's uranium enrichment to Russian soil to ensure that uranium is not diverted for weapons.
The Russian offer, which is backed by the United States and the European Union, is widely seen as the last chance for Iran to address the West's concerns before a March 6 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency that could start a process leading to a review by the U.N Security Council.
The council has the power to impose economic and political sanctions.
A visiting U.S. diplomat said that although "no new ground was broken" the international coalition pressuring Iran was working well.
"I think we've got a truly multilateral approach in place," U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Moscow. "I think the momentum is with this coalition."
Neither Iran nor Moscow reported movement toward a compromise as chief Iranian negotiator Ali Hosseinitash left Russia on Tuesday, but both nations were optimistic.
"In our belief, the trend of negotiations was positive and constructive," Hosseinitash, deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said, adding that the two countries had agreed to continue talks.