French FM says, Iran nuclear talks 'rather positive'

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Tuesday that he thought the tone of the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna was "rather positive."

Speaking to radio France Inter Tuesday morning, Fabius confirmed the talks had been extended until March or possibly the end of June on account of a favorable agreement not having been met, Xinhua reported.

The negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme aimed at reaching an agreement which would ensure the nuclear programme would remain exclusively peaceful.

The foreign ministers and negotiators of the P5+1 group -- China, the US, France, Britain, Russia and Germany -- the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran had deliberated until midnight local time Monday.

"First, on the uranium-enrichment capacity, I found there was still some movement," said Fabius.

On the issue of the transformation of nuclear facilities, the French foreign minister said the involved parties drafted technical solutions which might help solve the problem of Arak, a heavy water reactor.

Regarding the Fordo nuclear site, the minister said there had been "some progress also."

As for the problem of verification, which would ensure Iran would hold to its commitments, Fabius said there had been a progressive shift in that area.