Iran 'resolute' over peaceful nuclear rights

Iran is firm and resolute over its nuclear rights and is ready to prove that its nuclear activities are peaceful, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said here Sunday.

"As for the nuclear issue, the Iran is after the peaceful use of nuclear energy and wants to enjoy its rights within the framework of international regulations and the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT," Xinhua reported citing Rouhani as saying in a meeting with the visiting Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic.

"We have had very good talks over the past year and are very close to an agreement," he said, adding that "political will is needed to accelerate the results in the talks."

A comprehensive nuclear agreement would be in the interest of both Iran and the P5+1 group, including Britain, China, France, Russia, US plus Germany, and it will benefit global peace, stability and security, the Iranian president stressed.

For her part, Pusic said that "despite the difficulties, significant progress has been reached in the nuclear talks, and those who favor peace and stability in the world are hopeful about the solution and agreement in Iran's nuclear issue."

Iran and the six powers agreed in November 2014 to extend the deadline for another seven months aimed to reach a political agreement within the next five months.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed-Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry held talks about Tehran's nuclear program Friday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city of Davos.

Deputy foreign ministers from Iran are going to sit down with diplomats from the UK, France and Germany in the Turkish city of Istanbul later this month to further discuss Iran's nuclear issue.