The latest negotiations between the six-world powers and Iran on its nuclear program mark a positive development in international efforts to ease tension over the long-standing issue.

The talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany were held on April 14 in the Turkish city of Istanbul amid worldwide attention and expectation.

Iran to Preserve Rights, Ready for 2nd Round

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi announced Sunday that "Tehran and the world powers reached a common understanding during their Saturday talks," stressing that "settling the deadlock between Iran and the West would benefit both parties."

"We are trying to wrap up this false dossier which has been plotted for the Islamic Republic of Iran. This would benefit both Iran and the West," Salehi said.

He also noted that "the West has come to realize that Iran will continue its activities irrespective of the extent of pressures exerted on that country."

Hours earlier, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, vowed that "Tehran does not intend to stop producing uranium enriched to a purity level of 20 percent."

During a press conference in Istanbul, the Iranian official declared achieving progress.

"There were differences of opinion... But the points we agreed on were important," he confirmed, pointing out that "the next talks should be based on confidence-building measures, which would build the confidence of Iranians."

He further stated that "the continuation of the talks and their success depend on the adoption of the approach of dialogue rather than other approaches."

Referring to Iran's rights, which have been stipulated in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Jalili said, "Enrichment of uranium is one of these rights that every individual member state should benefit from and enjoy for peaceful purposes."

He also mentioned the fatwa [religious edict] that Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei has issued declaring that "the production, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons are all haram [prohibited in Islam]."

"The Leader's fatwa created an opportunity for concrete steps toward disarmament and non-proliferation," he stated.

Iran has continuously reiterated that all its nuclear activities are totally peaceful, and,

as an International Atomic Energy Agency member and a signatory to the NPT, it has the legal right to produce nuclear fuel for its research reactors and nuclear power plants.

For her part, the European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, described the dialogue as "constructive and useful," unveiling that "the parties have agreed to meet again in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 23."

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has hit back at "Israel's" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisting that his country "had not given anything away in new talks with Iran."

Defending the push for a diplomatic resolution, the US President said he "refused to let the talks turn into a stalling process," but believed "there was still time for diplomacy."

Moreover, Obama tried to assure his strategic "Israeli" ally by saying : "The notion that somehow we've given something away or a freebie would indicate Iran has gotten something. In fact, they've got some of the toughest sanctions that they're going to be facing coming up in just a few months if they don't take advantage of these talks."

Obama's assessment, delivered at the close of a Latin American summit in Colombia, came after Netanyahu said "the US and world powers gave Tehran a "freebie" by agreeing to hold more talks next month."

"Iran has got five weeks to continue enrichment without any limitation, any inhibition. I think Iran should take immediate steps to stop all enrichment, take out all enrichment material and dismantle the nuclear facility in Qom," he claimed.