"Moderate" Iran says nuclear program to stay 'intact'.

"Moderate" Iran says nuclear program to stay 'intact'.(IF).

Iran is willing to address international concerns about its atomic activities but will keep its nuclear program "intact", not close it down, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday.

His remarks signaled that Tehran will not agree to dismantle any of its atomic facilities in talks with six world powers on a final settlement of the decade-old dispute over its nuclear activity.

Zarif, speaking to reporters during a visit to New Delhi, said he hoped a deal would be reached by the July deadline, although talks could be extended by another half year if both sides agreed.

"I am hoping by the first deadline we will reach a final deal and to start implementing it," he said. "And I can assure you that Iran has that political will and good faith that is required in order to achieve that."

However, he also said there was a "problem in terms of both substance and approach", apparently referring to the other side in the talks.

U.S. officials have made clear Iran's planned Arak heavy water reactor - which could yield bomb-grade plutonium once operational - must be dealt with under any settlement and Washington has also questioned Iran's need to have a uranium enrichment site buried deep underground at Fordow.

Zarif said Iran was "prepared to make sure that the program is exclusively peaceful and create the necessary understanding for the West. I believe there are multiple ways of doing that and we are willing to entertain those ways."

But, he added: "I can tell you that Iran's nuclear program will remain intact. We will not close any program."Hmmmm........"plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"