UN chief: Iran should return to negotiations

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has urged Tehran to resume talks with the six major world powers over its nuclear program.

“All member states of the international community have deep concern on the nuclear development program,” RIA Novosti quoted Ban as saying on Wednesday.

“Iran should return to negotiations,” he said, adding “I again urge that this issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue as soon as possible.”

The UN chief’s comments came after officials from the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany held a conference call on Wednesday to discuss Iran’s nuclear issue.

Britain’s Ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant told reporters that the political directors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany “have agreed they will have further discussions of possible measures early next week.”

Under US pressure, the UN Security General has so far imposed three rounds of sanctions to halt Iran’s nuclear program but Tehran has repeatedly declared that it will not give up the legitimate nuclear rights of the Iranian nation under pressure.