Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Ahead of the Iran-IAEA negotiations due on September 27, Iran expressed optimism about a solution of the long-standing nuclear dispute.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said that he held constructive talks with the UN nuclear chief, Press TV reported.

Salehi met with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano on September 16 on the sidelines of the 57th IAEA General Conference in the Austrian capital, Vienna.

The AEOI head expressed hope that the remaining issues regarding Iran's nuclear program would be resolved during the upcoming round of talks between Iranian and IAEA officials.

Salehi expressed Tehran's readiness to increase and boost interaction with the IAEA.

He also said that the new Iranian administration favors strengthening and broadening the country's cooperation with the IAEA in order to put an end to Iran's nuclear dossier.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said that the negotiations with the P5+1 group will continue considering the Iranian nation's inalienable rights in using nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment on Iranian soil.

She said that Iran will reveal its nuclear negotiating team members with the P5+1 later.

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has officially assigned the Foreign Ministry to deal with the country's nuclear issues with both the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA and the P5+1 group.

Russia and China have urged a diplomatic solution of the country's nuclear standoff.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow welcomes the readiness of Iran to discuss the prospect of stopping the 20-percent enrichment of uranium in the country within the framework of the negotiation process with the P5+1.

According to Lavrov, it is necessary for the P5+1 to be able to adequately respond to Tehran's readiness to negotiate.

Iran and the P5+1 -- the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany -- have held several rounds of talks on a range of issues, with the main focus being on Iran's nuclear energy program.

The sides wrapped up their latest round of negotiations on April 6 in the Kazakh city of Almaty. An earlier meeting had been held in Almaty on February 26-27.

Besides, Chairman of China's Atomic Energy Authority Ma Xingrui called for a diplomatic solution to the impasse over Iran's nuclear energy program.

He said the impasse should be resolved through dialogue within the framework of the IAEA.

The West suspects Tehran's nuclear program may be aimed at developing nuclear weapons capability, but Iran insists it is purely for peaceful purposes.

Iran reiterates that its main demand is that its right to uranium enrichment, as stipulated in the NPT agreement, be recognized.