Iran, Germany Discuss Tehran's Nuclear Program

Steinmeier (left) with Larijani in Berlin in January (epa) June 5, 2007 - The German Foreign Ministry says Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, is meeting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin today to discuss Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

The meeting follows Larijani's talks with EU foreign-policy chief Javier Solana in Madrid last week, which reportedly produced no breakthrough on Tehran's main dispute with the West -- its refusal to suspend nuclear enrichment as a precondition for negotiations on trade benefits.

The UN Security Council has imposed two rounds of sanctions targeting Iran's weapons and nuclear programs, along with selected assets, in an effort to dissuade it from certain atomic activities.

The so-called 5+1 group -- of permanent Security Council members (China, France, Russia, United States, and United Kingdom) plus Germany -- has led the UN effort at curbing Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

U.S. officials have accused Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons. Officials in Iran have repeatedly denied any such intention.

(Reuters, AP)