ISTANBUL, Apr 14 (Reuters) Iran and world powers have a rare chance on Saturday to halt a downward diplomatic spiral over Tehran's nuclear program and ease fears of a new Middle East war when they resume stalled talks, but diplomats warn against expecting quick results.
The negotiations in Istanbul, the first between Iran and the six powers in 15 months, are unlikely to yield any major breakthrough but Western diplomats hope at last to see readiness from Tehran to start discuss issues of substance.
That, they say, would mark a big change in Iran's attitude from the last meeting when it refused even to talk about its nuclear program and could be enough for scheduling a second round of talks next month, perhaps in Baghdad.
Such an outcome could, at least for the time being, dampen persistent speculation that Israel might launch military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites to prevent its enemy from obtaining atomic arms. Both sides say they are ready at the meeting, which is due to start at around 10 a.m (0700 GMT), to work towards resolving the deepening dispute over the nuclear program which Iran says has purely peaceful purposes.
"For their own reasons, each side wants to give diplomacy a chance at this point, to start a process rather than to force a quick fix," said analyst Michael Adler at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Iran must show in Istanbul that it is willing to enter "serious engagement," one senior diplomat said, suggesting Saturday's discussions were unlikely to go into detailed issues. |
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