BERLIN: The International Atomic Energy Agency and Germany have detected signs Iran is ready to talk about its nuclear program, Germany’s foreign minister said Friday after talks with the head of the UN watchdog.
"We have not been able so far to detect any substantial changes in the Iranian government’s behavior. However we are detecting new signals of a readiness to talk," Guido Westerwelle told reporters after talks with IAEA chief Yukiya Amano in Berlin.
"Whether this readiness to talk leads to concrete talks that are hopefully constructive or not, time will tell. But it seems that these signals are being transmitted. We have both detected this in our respective areas."
The UN Security Council adopted a fourth set of sanctions against Iran on June 9 over Tehran’s failure to heed repeated ultimatums to freeze uranium enrichment.
The West led by Washington suspects that Iran is seeking to make atomic weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear program, a charge denied by Tehran.
Germany is one of six countries negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, along with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France.
