“In the talks, the softness or toughness of the negotiating side is not an issue; rather, it should be understood that as long as no agreement is reached, all [the sides] will strive to achieve their stances,” Zarif said on Tuesday after a closed-door session of the Majlis focusing on the last round of nuclear talks between Iran and the six world powers in Vienna.

The right to enrich uranium, the Arak heavy water reactor and sanctions against Tehran are among the bones of contention between Iran and the P5+1, said the top diplomat.

“Our position on the number of centrifuges is clear and the opposite side’s insistence will have no bearing on the issue,” the Iranian minister pointed out.

The negotiating sides know that a final agreement with Iran is the only solution to the nuclear issue, he said, adding they have witnessed that pressure had no impact on the Iranian nation.

Zarif reiterated that if Western powers apply an approach based on the Geneva deal and become confident about peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities, the issue will be settled.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the US, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany agreed on the extension of talks until November 24 with a view to achieving a permanent deal that would end the decade-old dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program.

The two sides sealed an interim deal in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 23, 2013, for a six-month period. The deal, which took effect on January 20, expired on Sunday.

Under the deal, dubbed the Geneva Joint Plan of Action, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities.