Iran’s top leaders and diplomats had spent the weeks leading up to recent Vienna talks underlining one red line after another, on issues ranging from the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment program, its plutonium-producing Arak complex, its centrifuge research push, and its development of ballistic missiles.

Analysts who hoped that the Iranians were just kidding, and that talks might yield a breakthrough, were disappointed.

Interfax on Thursday conveyed statements from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov describing the Iranian position on enrichment in grim terms:

The positions of Iran and six global powers seeking to rein in its nuclear program are “far apart” on the issue of uranium enrichment… Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Iran… had “very far-reaching demands” on enrichment.

Reuters had already reported on Wednesday that similar gaps existed regarding Iran’s plutonium track. Iranian negotiators had reportedly doubling down on their oft-repeated position that they will not make concessions in that context. Former Obama administration non-proliferation point man Gary Samore evaluated the situation and didn’t see much overlap between the two sides:

Former Obama administration WMD-nonproliferation czar Gary Samore said the five permanent U.N. Security Council member nations and Germany would likely demand “pretty extensive” modifications, while Iranian officials would seek “fairly cosmetic changes that would allow them … to produce more plutonium.”

The parties are set to have concluded a final agreement by July 20, though observers have long feared that Tehran will seek to drag out negotiations as long as possible.

The current interim deal permits Iran unlimited uranium enrichment to five percent purity – considered the most difficult step in the enrichment cycle – while Western sanctions concessions have begun to stabilize the Iranian economy. Indefinite talks would provide the Iranians with functional immunity from harsh Western actions while allowing them to bolster their stockpile of enriched material and continue recovering financially.