The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany will meet Wednesday for further discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, a Russian deputy foreign minister said on Friday.
Interfax news agency quoted Sergei Riabkov as telling journalists that the meeting would take place in the western German city of Frankfurt at political director level.
Iran is suspected of trying to develop atomic weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme, a charge Tehran denies.
Germany’s foreign minister declined to confirm the talks, as international pressure is building for further sanctions against Tehran if it refuses to restart negotiations on its nuclear ambitions.
Iran has repeatedly denied that it intends to build an atomic bomb and says it has every right to develop a peaceful nuclear programme to produce energy.
France, Germany and the United States have spoken in favour of an international energy embargo on Iran, which despite being rich in oil lacks domestic refining capacity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called yesterday during a visit to Berlin for “crippling sanctions” against Iran, claiming that it posed a mortal threat to Israel’s survival.