LONDON - The European Union said it was disappointed after talks with Iran on Friday seen as a last chance to avert U.S. pressure for tougher international sanctions over Tehran's disputed atomic programme.
The absence of a breakthrough at the London talks means six world powers meeting in Paris on Saturday will try to agree new penalties to propose to the United Nations, despite differences in their approach to halting Iran's nuclear programme.
"I have to admit that after five hours of meetings I expected more. I am disappointed," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told reporters, adding he would talk to Iran's negotiator Saeed Jalili again before the end of December.
Taking a hard line, Jalili told reporters after the meeting it was "unacceptable" to demand Iran halt its uranium enrichment programme and that any new U.N. sanctions would fail to prevent Tehran from pursuing its atomic work.
"If some countries want to use the U.N. Security Council and its resolutions to stop Iran's atomic work, surely they will not be successful," Jalili said.
The West says the programme is aimed at building atom bombs and wants Iran to freeze its enrichment of uranium. Iran, a major oil exporter, says enrichment efforts are meant only to produce electricity which it says is an inalienable right.
Attempts by the six nations -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- to stall Iran's programme have failed and they vowed to pass a new U.N. Security Council resolution if there was no progress by December.
Asked whether Iran had brought any new initiatives to the table on Friday, Solana's spokeswoman said: "Not enough new in order not to be disappointed."
BRITAIN TO PUSH FOR TOUGH MEASURES
Jalili replaced Ali Larijani as chief nuclear negotiator in October. Close to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he is seen by analysts as signalling a hardening of Iran's position.
