ANOTHER FAILURE FOR MULTILATERAL DIPLOMACY:

The “EU-3” were trying to convince Iranian officials to honour an earlier deal to suspend its controversial uranium enrichment programme, which is ostensibly designed to make fuel for nuclear power stations but could also be used to make fissile material for nuclear bombs.

Iranian officials refused point-blank to comply, saying they had every right under international law to pursue “peaceful” nuclear technology.

They then stunned the Europeans by presenting a letter setting out their own demands.

They’ve got Chutzpah — or, at any rate, an accurate sense of how little the Europeans are prepared to actually, you know, do.

UPDATE: More thoughts on what’s going on here.