Iranian, German FMs discuss Tehran's nuclear issue

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has discussed talks between Tehran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (the P5+1) with his German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle, in a phone call. During the conversation on Friday, the two sides stressed the need for the continuation of negotiations between Iran and the six major world powers, the latest round of which was held in Moscow in mid-June, to find an optimal solution to Tehran's nuclear issue. Salehi said the Iranian negotiating team attended the Moscow talks fully prepared and with constructive initiatives. The negotiations, he added, could have paved the way for major steps forward should the P5+1 had taken necessary positive measures. The Iranian foreign minister and his German counterpart expressed hope that the forthcoming Istanbul meeting would prepare the ground for higher level talks between Tehran and the six world powers. Iran and the P5+1 held the third round of their new talks in the Russian capital, Moscow, on June 18 and 19. At the end of talks, both sides agreed to hold expert-level meetings in the Turkish city of Istanbul on July 3.