( CNN ) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will meet with the group known as the P5 plus 1 on Thursday during his visit to the United Nations , European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Monday . The P5 plus 1 includes Germany and the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States , Russia , China , France , and Britain . There has been friction between Iran and Western nations over the country 's nuclear aspirations and Iran 's backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad 's regime in that country 's civil war . But world powers have been searching for ways to tackle both topics . After Zarif sat down with Ashton on Monday morning , she spoke to reporters about her first face-to-face meeting with the diplomat . `` As you know I spoke to him several times over the summer but this was the first opportunity for us to meet face to face , '' Ashton said . `` We talked about a number of important issues , but focused on the nuclear issue . We had a good and constructive discussion . '' She said there will be a `` short discussion '' at the meeting this week . Ashton said she and Zarif agreed that they will meet in October `` with our teams in Geneva '' Switzerland . Zarif was to meet with British Foreign Minister William Hague at 3 p.m. Monday in a closed-door meeting , a Western diplomat confirmed . Iran 's new president , Hassan Rouhani , has been making overtures toward the West that some analysts term as a charm offensive and others see as an opportunity for the West and Iran to forge a deal on the country 's nuclear weapons . Tehran says it wants to develop nuclear energy solely for peaceful purposes , but Western nations have long said that Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons . The dispute about why Iran is seeking nuclear capability -- for energy or for bombs -- has prompted international sanctions and escalated concerns about additional warfare in the Middle East . `` We must work together to end the unhealthy rivalries and interferences that fuel violence and drive us apart , '' Rouhani said in an op-ed column last week in the Washington Post . CNN 's Elise Labott and Nick Paton Walsh contributed to this report .
Elise Labott , Syrian diplomat met this week . Iran 's nuclear aspirations have been controversial . Nick Paton Walsh , Germany 's president , says : `` End unhealthy rivalries ''