Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday harshly criticized the nuclear talks that took place between Iran and six world powers in Istanbul on Saturday, saying that further talks scheduled for May are like a gift for Iran, which give the country more time to continue enriching uranium.

Six world powers and Iran launched the new round of negotiations in Istanbul on Saturday, aiming to resolve a long-standing dispute over Tehran´s nuclear program.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who headed the Western delegation at talks over Tehran´s nuclear program in Istanbul, said on Saturday that the talks were useful and constructive, and also announced that a further round of talks was due to take place in Baghdad on May 23rd.

Netanyahu was dismissive of the decision made in Istanbul to carry out a further round of talks in May, saying that it will give Iran more time to enrich uranium, without inhibition.

"My first impression is that Iran has received a gift," Netanyahu said at the beginning of a meeting with U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman.

The prime minister repeated his position that "Iran needs to stop all uranium enrichment immediately, to take all the enriched material out of the country, and to dismantle its nuclear facility at Qom."

"We cannot allow the greatest terror practitioner in the world to develop nuclear weapons," he added. (© Copyright 2012 Ha´aretz 04/16/12)