Rouhani warns against excessive demands at n-talks

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned against the "excessive demands" by some powers at nuclear talks, saying that it will be detrimental to the negotiations.

"At the recent Geneva talks, good progress was made, but everyone must realise that excessive demands could complicate the process towards a win-win agreement," reported Xinhua citing Rouhani during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday.

"From our point of view, there should not be a situation in which the will of parties to reach mutually acceptable agreement is affected," Rouhani said.

The Iranian president did not expand on the "excessive demands", but western media reported Monday that French President Francois Hollande has put forward some major demands to Iran ahead of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 -- the US, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany -- set to begin Wednesday.

Iran should take four "essential" steps: "First, put all the Iranian nuclear installations under international supervision right now. Second, suspend enrichment to 20 percent. Third, reduce the existing stockpile of enriched uranium," Hollande said Sunday in Israel.

"Finally, halt construction of the Arak (heavy water) plant. These are the points which for us are essential to guarantee any agreement," he reportedly said.

On Monday, a senior Iranian lawmaker said the Islamic republic will leave the negotiating table if the US Congress approves additional sanctions against Tehran.