VIENNA, July 24: The head of Iran’s atomic energy organisation said on Thursday he was hopeful talks over the Islamic state’s nuclear programme could start based on proposals made by Iran and the six powers at recent talks in Geneva.

The Geneva talks ended in stalemate on Saturday with the major powers giving Iran two weeks to answer calls to rein in its nuclear programme, which the West says is intended to produce nuclear bombs, or face tougher sanctions.

The six powers have offered Iran economic and other incentives in return for its suspending uranium enrichment.

But prospects of ending a row that has triggered regional tensions and rattled oil markets looked dim as Iran’s top nuclear negotiator insisted in Geneva Tehran would not even discuss a demand to freeze uranium enrichment.

But Gholamreza Aghazadeh, who is also Iran’s vice president, said on Thursday: “Both sides have received the messages of the other side and are carefully studying the concerns and expectations of both sides.”

“I am very hopeful that the negotiations will be started in a framework of both sides being fully committed to the expectations that are already there,” he added.

Aghazadeh told reporters in Vienna that talks between Iran and the six powers — the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — would also help resolve a range of issues from the Middle East tensions to rising oil prices.

“If the negotiation starts, many important problems would be resolved,” Aghazadeh said after meeting the UN nuclear watchdog’s head, Mohamed ElBaradei, at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Vienna headquarters.

“The problem of the Middle East, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and also Iraq and also the problem of the oil price,” he added.

He was speaking in Farsi and his remarks were translated into English by Iran’s IAEA envoy Ali Asghar Soltanieh.

Aghazadeh did not address Iran’s enrichment programme at his news conference. Enriched uranium can provide fuel for power plants but also material for bombs if refined much more.

Iran rejects western suspicions that it is secretly developing atomic weapons, saying its nuclear programme is a peaceful drive to generate electricity so it can export more oil and gas.

The IAEA said in May that Iran’s alleged research into nuclear warheads was a “serious concern” and that Tehran should provide more information on its missile-related activities.

Aghazadeh said he believed it was not the IAEA’s business to look into those allegations, but added that Iran would address them in other ways. He did not elaborate.

“The topic of alleged studies ... is outside of the domain of the agency, this is something that will be dealt with in another way,” he said. “Steps have already been taken in that direction and if in the future there are measures that are necessary ... we will do it if necessary.—Reuters