Iran calls for nuclear talks as further sanctions loom

Iran said today it was ready to resume negotiations over its nuclear programme and a broad range of other issues with a six-nation group of major powers.

The brief announcement reported on state-run Iranian television appeared to have been timed to precede a meeting tomorrow in Germany to discuss further sanctions against Iran for failing to comply with UN security council demands to suspend uranium enrichment.

Saeed Jalili, the country's lead nuclear negotiator, said the Iranian government had completed a package of proposals for dialogue "regarding all security, political and economic issues, in addition to the nuclear issue".