(VOVworld) - The international community is close to a deal with Iran on its nuclear program, said Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov Saturday, just before negotiations on Iran’s nuclear issues to take place next week in Geneva, Switzerland. Lavrov said during talks with the European Union's foreign policy chairwoman, Catherine Ashton on the sidelines of ASEM last week, both sides agreed that it is now time for involved parties in the negotiations to increase mutual understanding and make a step forward.

Russian Foreign Minister: chances high for Iranian nuclear deal. Photo: internet

The opportunity becomes even clearer as Iran has reiterated that it would spend a year to address all problems put forward by the International Atomic Energy Agency to lift sanctions currently imposed on the country. Lavrov added that the United States, along with the four other permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, the so-called P5+1, came close to a deal during talks with Iran last week in Geneva, reaching for consensus instead of merely voicing their different opinions as they used to do before.