The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Berlin

World powers reached agreement Tuesday on a new UN Security Council resolution against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.

"We agreed on the content of the next Security Council resolution," Steinmeier said after the meeting in Berlin of foreign ministers from the five permanent members of the Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany. Steinmeier said the resolution would be presented to the Security Council "in the coming weeks." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian journalists after the meeting that the new draft resolution envisages direct talks with Tehran that would include the United States.

"It's clearly confirmed by the resolution that direct negotiations on resolving all questions related to the Iranian nuclear programme -- with the participation of all six powers, including the United States -- would be initiated if Iran accepts the proposals of the six," Lavrov said.

In his remarks reported by the Ria-Novosti news agency, the foreign minister added that the proposed text does not foresee fresh sanctions against Iran.