French FM Fabius attends Iran nuclear talks Friday

French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius has arrived in Geneva to attend Friday's talks on Iran's nuclear programme. His unexpected attendance, along with that of US Secretary of State John Kerry, has fuelled speculation that an agreement is in the making.

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani Reuters

"There has been progress but nothing is hard and fast yet," Fabius said on arrival in Geneva.

He had come because the talks are "difficult but important for regional and international security", he said.

France's foreign affairs ministry announced that Fabius would go to Geneva on Friday morning, following an announcement that Kerry would be there late Thursday.

France, along with the US, has been heavily involved in the long-drawn-out negotiations over Iran's nuclear capacity and the presence of two top ministers will be a further boost to hopes of a deal that were aroused by this year's election of Iranian President Hassan Rowhani.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is not going, according to diplomatic sources in Moscow who refused to comment on why Kerry and Fabius are attending.