MOSCOW, October 7 (RIA Novosti) - Iran's president considers last week's nuclear talks with international mediators in Geneva to represent a positive step forward, and has expressed Tehran's readiness to continue negotiations, FARS news agency said on Wednesday.

Iran and six world powers involved in negotiations on the country's controversial nuclear program met in Switzerland soon after news of Iran's second uranium enrichment facility led to international calls for tougher sanctions.

"On the whole, the meeting in Geneva was a positive step forward, as it opened up new possibilities for the seven countries, and we hope that a further advancement in this direction will promote the development of collective global cooperation for solving key problems," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.

He added that "representatives of Iran and the European Union as well as other members of Iran Six have agreed to continue this dialogue."

Iran has been in the center of a protracted international dispute over its nuclear program amid Western fears that the program could lead to the production of weapons-grade material.

Iran is under three rounds of UN sanctions for refusal to halt uranium enrichment. Tehran insists it needs nuclear technology for power generation.