misheard word

[Archie]

There's no previous sentence because the whole thing begins with that, but the next one after that in question goes like this:

The UN's nuclear watchdog IAEA helds the emergency meeting later today; to assess the way ahead after Tehran's decision to resume work at its uranium conversion facility near the city of xxx.

My poor-quality "voice mail" is already on its way to Temico
I'm shivering with excitement.

[Temico]

I have received your "voice mail". The voice quality is indeed very poor but after listening to it several times, I am able to transcribe it as follows:-

"......GMT. This is The World Today. Talks aimed at getting Iran to give up its Nuclear Programme seem to have hit a great wall (or fall). The UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, holds an emergency meeting later today to assess the way ahead after Teheran's decision to resume work in its Uranium Nuclear Facility, near the city of Isfahan. A group......."

[Curious Cat]

Oh 8+)
What does it mean "to hit a great wall"? Something like "to achieve the highest level"?

[Temico]

Well, if you consider colliding head-on with a massive wall, to be achieving the "highest level", then that's a different story!

[Curious Cat]

I didn't know the meaning of "hit the great wall"! If I knew, I wouldn't have asked. As a non-native speaker I'd better double-check the meaning of phrases like that, because one never knows with them.
Anyway if it is colliding with a massive wall, then I agree, it's far from being what I had assumed :)

[Archie]

I couldn't be more grateful Temico, thanks for your help.
Can I bother you like this if I hit another snag?

I guess you had a hunch that there would be more than just one word.
To me it sounded like just one long word because she said it so quickly.
Seems like listening comprehension is not my best area of language.

[Temico]

You are welcome to do so, anytime.
BTW, even though English is not my native language, I have been using it to deal (listen, speak, read, write, convince, argue, etc.) with native speakers(mainly Britishers) almost everyday, for over twenty years.

[Archie]

OK
Usually I can look 90% of the unfamiliar words up in the dictionary but every now and then I run into "impossible" ones hi hi.

Good luck and thanks again