DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran and world powers announced new talks on Tehran's nuclear program on Feb. 26, but hopes of progress after Tuesday's announcement were tempered when an Iranian official said the West's goal in talking was to undermine the Islamic republic.
The widely expected appointment for a meeting, to be held in Kazakhstan, was made Tuesday by Iran's deputy nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri and European Union counterpart Helga Schmid.
A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she hoped to make progress in allaying concerns about a program Iran denies has a military purpose.
The United States and its allies, which have imposed tough economic sanctions, are keen to show progress on an overall agreement for curbing and monitoring Iran's nuclear activities.
(Reuters)
