The next international talkson Iran's nuclear programtake place this month in Moscow.The talks come as Russia continuesto oppose missile-defense plans designedto answer a possible nuclear threat from Iran.The United States and the European Unionbelieve that a goal of Iran'suranium enrichment programis to possess nuclear weapons.The Iranian government says it only wantsto use its enriched uraniumfor peaceful purposes,such as producing electricity.Talks between Iran and six world powershave gone on for years.The six countries are the United States,Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.The latest two-day meeting took placein Baghdad last month.There was very little progress.Negotiators agreed to meet in Moscowin the middle of June.The common thinking isthat Russian economic interests in Iranhave led Russia to be a strong supporter of Iran.But many experts sayRussia has taken a stronger position on Iranduring the past few years.Robert Legvold of Columbia University saysone reason was what American officialshave called the reset in relations with Russia.Mr. Legvold says that does not meanthere are no disagreementsbetween the United States and Russia over Iran.He says the possibility of some kind of military attackon Iran makes the Russians nervous.ROBERT LEGVOLD: "And the Russians are very antsyabout the idea of a military option,whether it's Israel that executes itor whether it is some kind of a U.S. option,or the U.S. with Israel together.They also continue to push much harderon the diplomatic optionrather than further tightening of sanctions."But Russia has voted in the pastfor economic sanctions against Iran in the United Nations.And Stephen Cohen, professor emeritusat Princeton University and New York University,says that is not all Russia has done.STEPHEN COHEN: "Russia cancelled a dealit had with the Iranian governmentto supply it with anti-aircraft missiles,the kind of anti-aircraft missilesthat Iran would need to defend itself if itwas attacked by Israel or the United States,which remains, by the way,on at least the theoretical agenda.These were enormous concessions by Moscow."Experts say one area where Russiawill not compromise is missile defense.This American-led idea is tiedto the possible nuclear threat from Iran.The Obama administration has proposed deploymentof anti-missile interceptors on navy ships at sea.There also would be land-based versionsof these anti-missile missiles.Some would be sent to former Warsaw Pact countriesin Eastern Europe.Russia has always opposed American plansfor a missile defense system in Europe.Russian officials see it as aimed against Russia.Robert Legvold at Columbia University saysRussia's main objection is tiedto the last part of the missile defense plan.That part, known as Phase Four,is set for deployment in twenty-twenty.ROBERT LEGVOLD: "The problem with Phase Four-- and we begin moving that way with Phase Three-- is that that is an intercontinentalballistic missile system designedto defend the entire continent,not merely what's called theater systems,which is what the shorter-range systems are.And those, theoretically,depending on where they are deployed,could be something of a threatto the Russian nuclear deterrent."NATO leaders restated their supportfor the missile defense planwhen they met last month in Chicago.And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.