Kerry Warns Iran Time is Limited

John Kerry (R, foreground) is seen here facing Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (opposite) at talks in Istanbul

BBC

US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Iran that talks on its nuclear programme cannot last forever, after a new round failed to make progress.

"This is not an interminable process," he said after arriving in Istanbul, at the start of a 10-day trip to the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

World powers failed to make headway at two days of talks with Iran in Almaty, reports the BBC.

Kerry also called on Turkey and Israel to restore good relations without delay.

After Turkey, Kerry is due to visit Israel, the West Bank, the UK, South Korea, China and Japan.

Kerry said President Barack Obama was committed to continuing the diplomatic process with Iran despite what he called the complicating factor of elections there in June.

"Diplomacy is a painful task," the secretary of state said, "and a task for the patient."

No new round of talks was scheduled after the negotiations in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which ended on Saturday.

World powers suspect Iran of pursuing a covert nuclear weapons programme.

Tehran, which insists its intentions are peaceful, is negotiating with the so-called P5+1 group comprising the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Russia, China, the UK and France - plus Germany.

After recently helping broker a reconciliation between Turkey and Israel, Kerry said: "We would like to see this relationship that is important to stability in the Middle East and critical to the peace process... get back on track in its full measure.''

That, he told reporters in Istanbul, meant promises of "compensation be fulfilled, ambassadors be returned and full relations be embraced".

Kerry met Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and was also due to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

America's top diplomat will also encourage Turkey to continue admitting civilians fleeing the conflict in Syria, following reports - denied by Turkey - that some Syrians had recently been deported after unrest at a border camp.

More than 1.2 million people have fled to neighbouring countries since the unrest in Syria began two years ago, according to UN figures.

At least 250,000 are in Turkey.