Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter has hailed the new Iranian administration’s approach for constructive interaction with the international community, expressing optimism about the outcome of the upcoming talks between Iran and the six major world powers in Geneva.
On Monday, Burkhalter said that his country is ready to mediate between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom -- plus Germany over Tehran’s nuclear energy program, noting that the European Union also plays a key role in this regard.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has stated that Tehran’s forthcoming talks with the six major world powers in Geneva will be the first test of their seriousness to resolve the nuclear issue.

“The New York talks [in September] were an announcement of the two sides’ political will to resolve the nuclear issue and we think that the delegations of both sides were ready to reach a quick solution through negotiations at the foreign ministerial level,” Zarif told reporters upon his arrival in Geneva on Monday.

Six major world powers reached an agreement with Iran and New York on September 26 to meet in Geneva on October 15 and 16 for further talks on resolving the standoff with Tehran on its nuclear energy program.

“We believe that Iran’s nuclear energy program has no problem and a balanced attitude is needed to overcome obstacles. We must move towards implementing Iran’s nuclear rights while building confidence about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program to improve [the Iranian] people’s living [conditions] …and lift cruel sanctions,” Zarif said.

The Iranian minister added that he is not pessimistic about the upcoming two-day Geneva talks, stressing the importance of proving the six powers’ goodwill and political will in practice.

“If such a will exists, we can reach a solution in a foreseeable future,” the top Iranian negotiator pointed out.

The US, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the NPT and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.

By Press TV

 

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