Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Iran and six world powers, known as P5+1, are holding a third round of talks on Tehran's nuclear energy program in Geneva on October 16, Iranian media reported.

Fars news agency quoted a representative of European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton as saying that the negotiations with Iran's new negotiating team are being carried out in a very positive atmosphere.

The official said the EU sees Iran's willingness to negotiate regarding its nuclear program and the P5+1 group is ready to continue holding talks with Iran until a positive result is reached.

Ashton's spokesman Michael Mann said at the end of the first day of talks in Geneva that the six key countries negotiating with Iran welcomed its new nuclear offer but a lot of details of its plan still need to be worked out.

He said the sanctions can be lifted off Iran only if the country takes real steps regarding the nuclear program.

Mann added that the sanctions aim to make Iran clarify some questions about its nuclear program.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has described the first day of talks between Iran and the six major world powers on Tehran's nuclear energy program as "useful," saying that the negotiations present a "real opportunity" for progress.

"There's a real opportunity to make progress in these talks and I urge Iran to seize that opportunity both today and in the weeks to come," Hague added.

After the talks Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, termed the talks 'serious' and held in 'positive atmosphere', and said both sides are avoiding raising any controversial issues.

Araqchi said the tone and language of the other side seems to be more positive, but no change in the approach has been seen yet.

He added that the main goal of the Geneva talks is the recognition of Iran's enrichment right and allaying concerns over its nuclear energy program.

"Our objective is to guarantee our country's right to peaceful use of nuclear activities, including [uranium] enrichment, and to ensure that the nature of these activities is peaceful," Araqchi, who is Iran's deputy foreign minister, said.

Araqchi also explained that both sides have put forth a common objective to resolve Iran's nuclear issue, adding that this objective could be achieved by taking a set of mutual measures.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif presented on October 15 the country's new package of proposals titled "Closing an Unnecessary Crisis and Opening New Horizons" in the morning session of the two-day talks.

Commenting on the goals and characteristics of Tehran's proposed package, Araqchi said the plan underlines Tehran's right to continue uranium enrichment and operate nuclear facilities including research reactors.

Araqchi added that peaceful nuclear cooperation between the parties, transparency, supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), lifting of all UN Security Council sanctions are among the measures to be taken in the final step of the plan.

Minister Zarif is leading a high-ranking Iranian delegation of political, technical and legal experts. According to reports, he will remain with the delegation and not leave Geneva until the talks are over.

The negotiations are reportedly being held behind closed doors with a limited number of people from both negotiating sides.

The West suspects Tehran's nuclear program may be aimed at developing nuclear weapons capability.

Iran insists that its nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes and reiterates that its main demand is that its right to uranium enrichment, as stipulated in the NPT agreement, be recognized.

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.