PARIS (Reuters) – France voiced scepticism on Wednesday that a revival of talks between six world powers and Iran would succeed, saying Tehran did still not seem sincerely willing to negotiate about the future of its nuclear programme.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, who represents the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany in dealings with Iran, said on Tuesday they had accepted Iran’s offer to return to talks after a standstill of a year that has seen a drift towards conflict in the oil-rich Gulf.

The talks could dampen what U.S. President Barack Obama has called a rising drumbeat of war, alluding to talk of last-resort Israeli attacks on Iran that he and many others worry would kindle a wider Middle East war and hammer the global economy.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, however, raised doubt about what the talks could achieve. “I am a little sceptical … I think Iran continues to be two-faced,” Juppe told France’s i-Tele television.

“That’s why I think we have to continue to be extremely firm on sanctions (already imposed on Iran), which in my view are the best way to prevent a military option that would have unforeseeable consequences,” he said.