Optimism over Iran talks

The two-day talks between Iran and the P5+1 powers - Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany - over Teheran's disputed nuclear program concluded on Wednesday in Almaty, Kazakhstan, without yielding any major progress. But the obvious optimism that the parties concerned have expressed so far should shore up confidence that a consensus might be within reach if all parties continue to build on this desirable momentum.

Marking a significant shift in their previous hard-line policies, the world powers have reportedly offered Iran a new plan, which allows the Islamic country to keep a limited amount of highly enriched uranium and offers to lift some trade sanctions.

The US State Department on Wednesday said it welcomes Iran's interest in the proposal. Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili called the world powers' attitude toward its nuclear issue "more realistic".