REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, VIENNA - Iran and six world powers ended the opening round of nuclear talks on an upbeat note Thursday, with both sides saying they had agreed on a plan for further negotiations meant to produce a comprehensive deal to set limits on Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

In a joint statement, they said the next round of negotiations would begin in Vienna on March 17, continuing a process likely to take at least six months and probably longer. A Western diplomat said Ashton would visit Tehran March 9-10 for preparatory talks. He demanded anonymity because his information was confidential.

"We have ... identified all of the issues we need to address for a comprehensive and final agreement," said Catherine Ashton, the EU's top diplomat who convened the talks between Iran and the six powers — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. "It won't be easy, but we've gotten off to a good start," she said in a statement read later in Farsi by Iranian Minster of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Expectations had been modest as the talks started Tuesday. Zarif, who came to the talks vowing Iran would never strip down its nuclear facilities, was smiling and relaxed as he read out the joint statement. But in a message intended for skeptics at home who fear Iran will give up too much at the talks, he told state TV afterward that his nation would "not close down any site."

The six powers want Tehran to agree to significant cuts in its nuclear program to reduce concerns it could be turned quickly to weapons use. Iran opposes cuts, saying its program is not aimed at building weapons. The US and its partners say that Iran must come to an agreement if it wants a full end to sanctions crippling its economy.

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