Crimea crisis clouds Iran nuclear talks
The crisis in Crimea cast a shadow Tuesday over another important international impasse: the talks in Vienna aimed at an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
The negotiations between Iran and six world powers came just hours after Russia annexed the Crimea, which had long historic Russian ties but which had been a district of Ukraine for about 60 years, following approval of the move in a Sunday referendum. Four of the other five powers (the United States, Britain, France and Germany) denounced the move and invoked sanctions against Russian officials.
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“The U.S. and Russian positions on Iran’s nuclear program already are pretty far apart,” said Gerson Sher, an analyst at the Stimson Center in Washington. Now, with the current tensions over Crimea, Russia “will not exert itself” to close that gap.
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