27 Sep 2013

Iran's nuclear "shift" welcomed

9:48 pm on 27 September 2013

The US and European allies have welcomed what they called a 'significant shift' in Iran's attitude to its nuclear programme, after high-level talks at the UN.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said after meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif he was struck by the "very different tone".

But Mr Kerry said Iran still had questions to answer.

The meeting was the highest level of talks on Iran's nuclear programme for at least six years.

Diplomats from the four other permanent Security Council members China, Russia, Britain, France were also present, along with representatives from Germany.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who chaired the meeting, says significant progress has been made, the BBC reports.

"It was a substantial meeting, good atmosphere, energetic. We had a discussion about how we would go forward with an ambitious timeframe to see whether we can make progress quickly.

A further meeting will be held in mid-October.

Earlier Iran's president called for a world free of nuclear weapons, just two days after giving his first address before United Nations.

Hassan Rouhani's remarks were made at a sideline meeting at the United Nations General Assembly on nuclear disarmament.

Mr Rouhani said reducing nuclear stockpiles was no substitute for their outright global elimination.

In an address at the United Nations earlier in the week, Mr Rouhani had said his country poses no threat to the rest of the world.

He said he was ready to engage on his country's disputed nuclear programme.