Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif[/caption]Iranian foreign minister expressed hope Thursday that upcoming negotiations about the country's nuclear program will lead to a quick understanding with world powers.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran would approach crunch nuclear talks in Geneva next week "with good faith" and "with determination to reach understanding and with hope to reach an understanding at an early stage".
Zarif said Thursday it was possible to overcome years of fraught relations. "Of course overcoming several years of a build-up of mutual lack of confidence requires time to overcome and requires time to heal," he said after a bilateral meeting in Pretoria.
But, he added, "all elements are in place. I believe resolving this issue should not be difficult because Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons." "We believe that even a perception that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons is detrimental to our security so we will do our best in order to remove that perception."
He insisted, however, that the global powers must respect Iran's right to develop civilian nuclear power, including the ability to enrich nuclear materials.
Iran and the so-called P5+1 group -- the UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany -- are due to meet again in Geneva on November 7-8.
By Al Manar
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