Following EU's proposal for nuclear talks with Tehran in mid-November, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says he will spare no efforts to facilitate the negotiations, Press TV reported.
"As Secretary General, I will spare no efforts to facilitate such negotiation process. There is no other way but dialogue, through which we can resolve this issue in a peaceful manner," the UN chief told Euronews on Thursday.
Last week, the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, proposed three-day talks over Iran's nuclear program in mid-November in the Austrian capital of Vienna, expressing hope that Tehran would "respond positively" to the offer.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki welcomed the offer, and later said that Tehran is negotiating with the P5+1 to determine the exact date and venue for talks.
"I am encouraged that the talks have been moving towards a favorable direction. Whenever and wherever I have been meeting Iranian authorities, I have been urging them to return to dialogue and engage negotiations with P5+1 (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US)," Ban said.
Iran has repeatedly announced its readiness to resume talks on its nuclear program, but stressed that any negotiations must be conducted within the framework of the Tehran nuclear declaration.
Foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, and Brazil signed the declaration in the Iranian capital Tehran on May 17, according to which the Islamic Republic would ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel rods to power the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.
The US and its allies snubbed the declaration and used their influence on the UN Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over allegations that Tehran is pursuing a military nuclear program.
Iran says its nuclear program is completely peaceful and within the framework of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory.
Last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-emphasized the importance of observing the Islamic Republic's preconditions for holding talks with the P5+1.
He said that the six major powers should determine whether they are committed to the IAEA regulations and that whether their objective for talks is cooperation with Iran or enmity towards the country.