Talks between Iran, six major powers to be in Switzerland: spokesman

TEHRAN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Monday said the venue of the upcoming talks between Iran and six major powers would be in Switzerland, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The meeting would be surely held in Switzerland," Hassan Qashqavi was quoted as saying.

On Sept. 9, Iran handed over its latest package of proposals, in a bid to start again suspended talks on global issues with six major powers: China, the United States, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.

The talks are scheduled to be held on Oct. 1, which are seen as a chance to resume international efforts to settle Iran's nuclear issue after a 2008 session ended without substantive progress.

"The talks would be based on Iran's package of proposals ... and Iran will hold constructive talks with the six powers if they have goodwill," IRNA quoted Qashqavi as saying.

"Goodwill, mutual understanding and interaction would be opportunities for having constructive nuclear talks," Qashqavi said, adding that "Iranian scholars have obtained peaceful nuclear achievements and will preserve them."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday voiced his "grave concern" about Iran's continued uranium enrichment when meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The United States and other Western powers suspect the program is aimed at producing nuclear-weapon material, but Tehran contends that the program has no military component and has steadfastly rejected calls to halt the effort.