Iran welcomes next week's talks with world powers as a way to start improving relations but will not negotiate away its nuclear "rights", negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Saturday.

"We see negotiations as a ground for further interaction and cooperation," Jalili told a news conference. "Just as in (previous) talks we did not allow Iran's rights to be undermined, we will be pursuing the same course in this latest round.”

Jalili will hold talks with European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, representing the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, in Geneva on Monday and Tuesday. The P5+1 countries are seeking reassurances that Iran is not seeking to build nuclear weapons. – Reuters