Iranian top officials said on Friday that they do not expect Israel or the United States to attack their country as a consequence of the long-running quarrel over its nuclear program. A high-level meeting was scheduled to take place in Geneva on Saturday where Iran and the world powers will send their diplomats to discuss the nuclear issue.

When interviewed about the upcoming discussions, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said he will take a positive approach at the negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was also positive and underlined the fact that he doesn’t expect a military attack from Israel, despite Tel Aviv’s recent military exercises. In an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV during a visit to Turkey, Mottaki said the chances of such an attack are “almost zero.”

Mottaki even talked about the prospect of restoring diplomatic ties with the United States. Washington broke off relations with Iran in 1980 during a hostage crisis in Tehran. However,  Mottaki didn’t specify when those talks could occur and in what shape.

The minister said it is a “positive step” the Bush administration’s decision to send a senior American official to attend the international talks with Iran this weekend in Switzerland. Mottaki said he is optimistic that through these discussions the two counties will make progress in their diplomatic relations.

“I think there can be a meeting both on the opening of a United States Interests Section in Iran and also on starting direct flights. We have proposed direct flights between the United States and Iran last year, given the intense demand from both American and Iranian people,” the Iranian minister said.

Both European and American officials have reportedly hinted that the U.S. intend to establish an American diplomatic presence in Iran for the first time in nearly three decades. The diplomatic ties between the two countries were ended during the 444-day occupation of the American Embassy in Tehran, which started on Nov. 4, 1979.