Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran hopes to reach a “positive result” in its talks with world powers on its nuclear program ahead of a November deadline, thanks in part to support from Russia.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, after their talks in Moscow on August 29, Zarif also said that sanctions will not be an obstacle to the development of Iran’s nuclear program.

Lavrov said Moscow supported a solution “based on the respect for Iran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” including the right to enrich uranium.

Iran and six world powers including Russia are seeking a deal under which Tehran would scale back its nuclear program, which Western states fear is aimed at creating nuclear weapons capability, and UN sanctions would be lifted.

“Despite the difficult course of the negotiating process, a possibility is emerging to satisfy in full all Iran’s integral rights…including the right to enrich uranium, and to lift the sanctions regime,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said ahead of the talks.

Russia and Iran also are negotiating a multibillion-dollar deal to trade Iranian oil for Russian goods and technology.

With reporting by Reuters and ITAR-TASS
RFE/RL