Iran's nuclear envoy Ali Larijani said on Saturday that France could operate as a mediator between the West and Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.

In an interview published in the French daily Le Figaro on Saturday, Larijani stated that France's new president Nicolas Sarkozy is likely to bring a new push to efforts to bring a solution to the crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program.

Larijani added that France enjoys "a very good reputation" in the world and could operate as a fair moderator.

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Nonetheless, in his first statements on the Iran issue since he was elected to office, President Sarkozy said that "It is Iran's responsibility to decide whether they want to cooperate with the international community or to suffer from further and further sanctions."

Sarkozy added that there should be no hesitation in deciding whether to strengthen the severity of the sanctions against Iran if need be.

A number of western diplomats have stated recently that the election of Sarkozy is likely to harden France's relations with Iran, especially in regard to the nuclear issue.