Iran critical of UN Security Council

Optimistic about Geneva talks :

Iran: Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Thursday that Iran is “very optimistic” about nuclear talks underway in Geneva, but he criticized the Security Council’s anti-Iran approach, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“The Security Council has followed double-standard policy vis-a- vis Iranian nuclear program ... (but) they should keep in mind that Iran’s approach is very clear and positive,” Larijani was quoted as saying.

He addressed the reporters on the sidelines of his meeting with his visiting Iraqi counterpart in Tehran. According to IRNA, quoting Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretariat, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in his straight talks with six major powers on Thursday said that Iran would never give up its inalienable rights (over its controversial nuclear program).

U.S. and Iranian officials met bilaterally on Iran’s nuclear program in Geneva on Thursday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed.

The bilateral meeting was held between U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on the margins of the Geneva talks, which also involve senior diplomats from six major powers, that including Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, Robert Wood told reporters.

The talks, which are still going on, are part of the international efforts to settle a long-running standoff over Iran’ s nuclear program.

The United States and other Western powers have long suspected Iran’s nuclear program which is aimed at producing nuclear weapon material, but Tehran denied that it has no intention to make nuclear weapons and its atomic drive is only for peaceful purposes.

According to IRNA correspondent in Geneva, the talks are expected to be extended to Friday. TEHRAN, Friday, Xinhua