The European Union confirmed Monday that world powers will hold talks with Iran on October 1 on its nuclear activities, with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's top negotiator Saeed Jalili taking part.

"This morning we reached an agreement with the Iranians to hold a meeting on October 1," Solana's spokeswoman said.

Solana and representatives of the five UN Security Council veto-wielding members — Britain, China, France, the United States and Russia — plus Germany will meet with Jalili.

It will be the first high-level meeting since the Obama administration took over in the United States and initiated its more open policy towards Tehran, a European diplomatic source said.

The last encounter, with the US taking part, was in July 2008 in Geneva.

While no venue has been decided for the meeting it will probably take place in Europe, the source added.

The meeting comes after Iran submitted a document to world powers laying out its position on resolving several global security problems. The text said the Islamic republic was ready to enter into negotiations on a number of issues.

Western powers fear Tehran could be covertly trying to build an atomic bomb under the guise of developing a civilian nuclear programme. Iran insists its work is for civil purposes.

Tehran has refused to end its uranium enrichment programme despite five UN Security Council resolutions and three sets of sanctions.

Solana has been trying since 2006 to get Iran to negotiate with western powers on a freeze to its uranium enrichment activities in exchange for political and economic incentives.

The EU has had virtually no contact with Iranian officials involved in the nuclear dossier since the presidential elections in Iran on June 12.

However French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, arriving for talks with his EU counterparts in Brussels on Monday, warned against expecting too much from the talks on October 1.

"You know how many meetings there have been with Iran? Many, many, many.. I don't expect too much alas," he told reporters.

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