ANKARA (AFP) - Iran is open to the idea of talks with the United States on establishing a diplomatic presence in Iran and launching a direct air link, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Friday. Saturday's Geneva meeting will see Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana discuss a package of incentives offered to Tehran by UK, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in return for freezing its uranium enrichment programme. He also welcomed as "positive" US participation in international talks in Geneva at the weekend on Tehran's suspect nuclear programme and said he expected progress in the negotiations. "In my opinion, talks and a deal on an American bureau in Iran and direct flights between Iran and the United States is possible," Mottaki told reporters after talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. He said Tehran knew through media reports of a US plan to open a diplomatic mission in Iran, the first such link between the two foes in nearly 30 years. "In recent years, there are many people from the United States - students, academics, businessmen, artists - who want to visit Iran. We support such a development between the two peoples," Mottaki said. He said several US companies were already operating in Iran but refused to identify them "because of the delicacy of the issue." Mottaki was speaking ahead of Saturday's talks in Geneva between Iran and six world powers on the Islamic Republic's N-programme. In a major policy change for Washington, the talks will be attended by US Under-Secy of State William Burns. The US participation is "a new positive approach," the Iranian Minister said. "I hope this progress (in the negotiation format) will also reflect on the content of the talks," he said. "If the negotiations continue in this way, I hope there will be a positive outcome." Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who met US national Security adviser Stephen Hadley on Thursday before meeting Mottaki Friday, also welcomed the US move. "We believe a positive and constructive process has begun," Erdogan told reporters here, adding that Ankara might be called on in the future to help facilitate dialogue between Iran and the West. "I believe we will play a role in this issue...The parties may have expectations from us as they have had in the past. Turkey may be asked to step in at difficult times," Erdogan said, but refused to elaborate