A new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program resumed on Monday in the Russian capital, Moscow.

A new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program resumed on Monday in the Russian capital, Moscow.

Chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili sat down with representatives from six world powers as well as EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton for two days of talks which will show if there is any hope of progress.

"These negotiations are a big test to see if the West is in favor of Iran's progress or against," Jalili, apparently in uncompromising mood, told Iranian state television as he went into the talks.

For his part, the spokesman of the EU delegation told reporters that world powers were sticking by a previous demand for Iran to halt enriching uranium to 20 percent -- a level approaching that needed to make an atomic bomb.
"Our priority is for the Iranians to address the 20 percent," said the spokesman, adding that Iran should also shut down its Fordo enrichment plant outside the holy city of Qom.

An Iranian diplomat at the talks promised that Iran "will discuss seriously the topics raised" by the P5+1 world powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- in Moscow.

The talks follow a bruising session in Baghdad in May that failed to make any noticeable progress beyond agreeing a date for more talks, an outcome that may not be acceptable again for the West.