Iran is looking forward to improved relations with the European Union following the appointment of an Italian to be the bloc's next foreign policy chief, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in Rome on Wednesday.

Zarif's comments came after talks with Federica Mogherini, the current Italian foreign minister who will soon take over from Britain's Catherine Ashton as the public face of EU relations with the rest of the world.

Zarif said the crisis in Iraq and Syria demonstrated that the EU and Iran need to work together to address common challenges.

"The same challenges are before the EU, both as international security and local and domestic security. The sad fact that a large number of foreign fighters are now in Iraq and Syria brings this issue close to home here in Europe," Zarif said.

"We have common ground both in terms of opportunities for greater cooperation, greater economic development and dialogue on human rights.

"This mixture ... should provide us with a basis for better work together, particularly with the role Italy has played as a bridge between Europe and the Islamic world. That role can be further enhanced by the role Mrs Mogherini will play as the high representative of Europe."

Mogherini's first major goal in her new job will be to wrap up a deal with Iran on Teheran's nuclear program, for which a November deadline has been set. She said her discussions with Zarif had left her hopeful that could be achieved.

"We have said that an agreement ought to be reached by November in order to guarantee greater stability in the region," Mogherini said.

"It is my hope the negotiations will have a positive outcome and that this will be done by Nov 23, the agreed deadline. I was assured that there is a strong political will in Teheran for this to happen and we hope that there will also be the necessary technical steps taken."

Mogherini said Italian officials had been in close discussions with their Iranian counterparts on how to bring stability to Iraq and Syria.

Geneva talks

"We share a belief in the need to respond with a military presence in the emergency situation we are in, but above all we believe in the need for an inclusive government in Baghdad," Mogherini said.

US and Iranian officials are set to resume talks on Thursday in Geneva on Teheran's nuclear program, the US State Department said on Wednesday.

US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Wendy Sherman, the undersecretary of state for political affairs, will lead the US delegation in the two-day talks, the department said in a statement.

"These bilateral consultations will take place in the context of the P5+1 nuclear negotiations led by EU High Representative Cathy Ashton," it said.

Washington and Teheran last met in Geneva in early August, as Iran and the six powers known as P5+1 - China, Britain, France, Russia, the United States and Germany - failed to meet the deadline of July 20 to reach a comprehensive agreement but agreed to extend the talks until Nov 24.

AFP - Xinhua

(China Daily 09/05/2014 page11)