DHAKA: France’s foreign minister said on Thursday the West needed to be firm in its dealings with Iran over the country’s nuclear programme, but he was hopeful an accord could be struck this week.

‘I hope so,’ Laurent Fabius told France 2 television when asked if there could be a deal.

‘But this agreement can only be based on firmness.’

Major powers are meeting in Geneva this week with a view to reaching a preliminary agreement on curbing Iran`s nuclear programme.

BDST: 1636 HRS, NOV 20, 2013
RoR/BSK