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Turkey is putting the final touches on security arrangements ahead of crucial talks between Iran and world powers on Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

Iran and representatives of the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia are set to meet in Istanbul Saturday for the first round of nuclear talks in over a year.

Tehran has faced Western sanctions over accusations that it is trying to develop a nuclear bomb. Iran says its program is for peaceful use.

U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes called the talks a “good first step.” He told reporters Friday that the burden of proof is on the Iranians because “they are the ones in violation of their international commitments.”

Earlier this week, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said his country would present unspecified new initiatives at the talks, but warned that efforts by the West to exert pressure on Tehran would “backfire.”

Saeed Jalili also said efforts to use what he called the “language of force” against Iran would be “useless.”

Because of continuing gaps in negotiating positions, Brookings Institution senior fellow Michael O'Hanlon says most analysts do not think the talks will succeed.

“I think it's fairly clear that Iran has no particular interest in detente with the outside world. No interest in knowing or acknowledging that it has been squeezed into submission and it does want a nuclear weapon capability at some level.”

But Michael Singh, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, says the talks could produce results because Iran is facing huge international pressure.

“I hope that these talks will validate the strategy of trying to use pressure in conjunction with diplomacy to get the Iranians to really shift their course, to change their approach to this nuclear question.”