PARIS, Nov 5: Iran's top negotiator said on Tuesday a framework deal with world powers on its nuclear programme was “possible this week”, although it would not be a disaster if there was a further delay.

Iran resumes negotiations with six world powers known as P5+1 - the United States, Russia, France, Britain, China and Germany - in Geneva on Thursday. The talks are aimed at ending a standoff over the nuclear programme, which Tehran denies is weapons-related.

“I believe there is a lot of work to be done. We have made some progress, but there is a great deal of mistrust in Iran concerning the attitude, behaviour and approach of some members of the P5+1,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told France 24 television during a visit to Paris.

“I believe that if we don’t make

a breakthrough at this round it’s not a disaster.”

Iran has launched substantive talks with world powers on a peaceful resolution to the standoff over its nuclear programme in a pragmatic policy shift following Hassan Rouhani’s election as president.

Zarif, who met his French counterpart Laurent Fabius in Paris on Tuesday evening ahead of a speech at the UN’s cultural agency Unesco on Wednesday, said a framework agreement could be achieved with political will on all sides.

“We need to see an end game that we can all agree on and take a first step on all sides,” said Zarif, who is Iran's chief negotiator at the talks. “It's not that difficult to reach that agreement and it’s even possible during this (Geneva) meeting.”

He said recent talks with the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, had been positive, as had a meeting between technical experts to prepare for Thursday's meeting in Geneva.

“I believe we have come very far so we need to take a few more steps,” he said. “We are prepared to take them in Geneva but if we can’t there then in the next round.”—Reuters