Iran FM Says Nuclear Deal Possible 'This Week'

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (right) welcomes his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to the Foreign Ministry.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, has said a framework deal with world powers on Tehran's nuclear work is "possible this week."

Zarif met with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius on November 5 in Paris two days before a new round of nuclear talks in Geneva with six world powers known as P5+1 - the United States, Russia, France, Britain, China and Germany.

Speaking to France 24 television, Zarif said recent talks with the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, had been positive, as had a meeting between technical experts to prepare for the November 7 meeting in Geneva.

Western countries suspect Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies.

Zarif also told France 24 that Tehran could use its influence to encourage non-Syrian forces fighting in Syria to withdraw from the country.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP