Iran will insist that its right to enrich uranium is recognized in talks this week with world powers over its nuclear program.

Iran will insist that its right to enrich uranium is recognized in talks this week with world powers over its nuclear program, Tehran's top negotiator said Thursday.

"We think that they can open up tomorrow's (Friday's) talks with one phrase -- and that is to accept Iran's right, particularly its right to enrich," Saeed Jalili said in a speech at an Almaty university ahead of the negotiations in the Kazakh city.

"We hope that in Almaty, they do not repeat the bitter experience they have gone through in the 34 years of our revolution and that they make the right conclusion this spring," he said referring to the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the shah under the leadership of Imam Khomeini.

Jalili also appeared to downplay the chances of a one-on-one meeting with chief US negotiator Wendy Sherman -- talks Washington has been seeking for years.

"What our nation is expecting is for the US to correct its behavior, and not in just words, and tomorrow in Almaty they are in for another test," said Jalili.

"Those who come to negotiations should come with logic and not threats, saying that all the options are on the table. This is contrary to common sense."

Iran and the so-called P5+1 nations -- the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany -- will sit down in Almaty from Friday for their fifth round of negotiations in the past two years.

The last talks held at the same venue in February saw the six nations present Iran with a proposal that would ease some of the proposed sanctions.

The P5+1 grouping is particularly concerned about Iran's uranium enrichment, and wants Iran to ship out its existing stockpile of 20-percent enriched material.

Iran repeatedly denies it is developing the atomic bomb and argues that it needs its nuclear program for peaceful medical and energy needs.