Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki answers questions at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York,the U.S., Oct. 1, 2009. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery>>>

    GENEVA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- International talks on the long-standing Iranian nuclear issue concluded here on Thursday with positive results, with the Iranians agreeing to open a newly-disclosed nuclear facility to UN inspectors and all parties agree to resume talks later this month.

    The Iranian delegation promised that Tehran would soon invite UN inspectors to its uranium-enrichment facility near Qom, and hopefully that would happen in the next couple of weeks, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told reporters following the one-day meeting.

    The Iranian delegation, headed by chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, also said Iran would "cooperate fully and immediately" with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Solana, the coordinator of the talks which also involve senior diplomats from the five UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany.

    According to the EU official, the parties also agreed to hold a second round of meeting focusing on Iran's nuclear issue by the end of this month.

    In a separate press conference, Jalili confirmed that the talks would be resumed within October and discussions would be based on "common grounds" between Iran and the six world powers.

    He said he saw room for "new cooperation" following Thursday's talks.

    While defending Iran's rights to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Jalili said his country would observe its obligations within the framework of the IAEA and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

    The Iranian official also called for global cooperation to deal with some "real security threats" the world is facing, including the proliferation of weapons of mass-destruction and nuclear warheads and their stockpiles.

    Iran's position is "disarmament for everyone, and peaceful use of nuclear energy for everyone as well," he said through an interpreter.

    The United States and other Western powers have long suspected Iran's nuclear program is aimed at producing nuclear weapon material, but Tehran argues that it has no intention to make nuclear weapons and that its atomic drive is only for peaceful purposes.

Iran's UN Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee (R) whispers to Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York,the U.S., Oct. 1, 2009. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery>>>

    This is the first high-level meeting between Iran and the six countries since a similar session in July 2008 ended without substantive progress. It's also the first time that the United States is participating fully at the talks with Iran -- the U.S. were present at the 2008 talks only as an observer.

    The U.S. delegation to Thursday's talks was led by Undersecretary of State William Burns, and notably, the senior official held informal bilateral consultations with his Iranian counterpart Jalili during the talks, indicating the willingness of the Obama administration to engage with Iran.

    Burns met his counterpart Jalili on the margins of Thursday's talks, Robert Wood, deputy spokesman of the U.S. Department of State told reporters.

    "Burns used this encounter to directly amplify the P5+1 position and to reiterate the international community's concerns about Iran's nuclear program," Wood said.

    "Burns addressed the need for Iran to take concrete and practical steps that are consistent with its international obligations and that will build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its program," he added.

    The two officials also had a frank exchange on other issues, including human rights, according to the spokesperson.

    The meeting between Burns and Jalili was considered the most high-level U.S.-Iran contact since the two countries severed diplomatic relations following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. 

Iran invites powers to "enhanced" high-level talks 

    UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Thursday characterized the meeting between major powers near Geneva as "constructive" and offered continued dialogue at a "summit" level.

    "We have entered into these discussions with this clear agenda, and this dialogue can also be enhanced, both in form and the level of discussions," Mottaki said in Farsi speaking through a translator. Full story

Iran to invite inspectors to nuclear facility soon, says Solana 

    GENEVA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran has agreed to invite UN inspectors to its newly-disclosed uranium-enrichment facility soon, and hopefully that would happen in the next couple of weeks, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Thursday.

    Solana was speaking to a press conference following a full day of talks between Iran and the five UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany. Full story

Six countries, Iran to meet again by end of month, says Solana 

    GENEVA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran and the six countries negotiating on its nuclear program have concluded their one-day talks in Geneva and they have agreed to meet again by the end of October, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said. Full story

Obama urges Iran to take constructive action on nuclear issue 

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama reiterated here on Thursday that his administration is prepared to move forward to increase pressure against Iran if the latter fails to take constructive action on the settlement of nuclear issue.

    Noting that the Geneva meeting between the permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany and Iran on its nuclear program was "a constructive beginning," Obama said such meeting "must be followed with constructive action by the Iranian government." Full story

U.S. expressed cautious welcome to int'l talks with Iran

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday expressed cautious welcome to the international talks with Iran on nuclear issues, saying that Iran needs to live up to international obligations.

    "We believe it was a constructive start," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said of the Geneva meetings between the permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany and Iran on its nuclear program. Full story

Iran supports continued talks with six powers: FM 

    UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki said Thursday that Iran supports continued talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany.

    Mottaki made the remarks at a press conference at UN Headquarters, held in coincidence with the Geneva talks between Iran and the six powers on its nuclear program. Full story

Iran critical of UN Security Council "very optimistic" about Geneva talks: speaker 

    TEHRAN, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Thursday that Iran is "very optimistic" about nuclear talks underway in Geneva, but he criticized the Security Council's anti-Iran approach, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    "The Security Council has followed double-standard policy vis-a-vis Iranian nuclear program ... (but) they should keep in mind that Iran's approach is very clear and positive," Larijani was quoted as saying. Full story

Int'l talks on Iran's nuclear issue open in Geneva

    GENEVA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A new round of international talks aimed at finding a solution to the Iranian nuclear issue began Thursday on the outskirts of Geneva.

    The talks between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili are also attended by senior diplomats from the group of six countries negotiating with Iran about its nuclear program -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. Full story