Iran-P5+1 nuclear talks to continue

BAGHDAD - Negotiations between Iran and six world powers over Iran's disputed nuclear program will enter a second day on Thursday in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Representatives from Iran and the UN Security Council's five permanent members (the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China) plus Germany, known as P5+1, as well as the EU, ended their first day of talks on Wednesday. However, the negotiating parties failed to reach a consensus over their packages of proposals.

Earlier in the day, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki received in his office EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and said the Baghdad meeting is an important event.

"Everybody is looking forward to the success of the ongoing talks over the Iranian nuclear file, because such success will be reflected positively on the whole region and Iraq in particular," a statement issued by Maliki's office quoted him as saying.

Iraq hopes that hosting such significant international meeting is another signal to the world after the Arab League summit late in March, which will confirm the country's emergence from isolation after wars and unrest.

The UN has by now imposed several rounds of sanctions against Tehran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or materials for bombs.

The EU, the United States and some other countries have imposed an oil embargo as part of their sanctions to pressure Tehran into resuming talks on the country's nuclear program. They have also imposed tough banking sanctions aimed at limiting Iran's ability to sell oil, which accounts for 80 percent of its foreign revenues.