Visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier Thursday urged the international community to remain firm in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear technology.
"The international community must remain firm ... and will not allow nuclear weapons technology to be developed in the region," Steinmeier told reporters at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
He said the standoff over Iran's nuclear program remains unresolved and will stay on the agenda in 2008.
The German minister, who was here for talks with IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei, said it is important for the world to learn from ElBaradei's views on the situation.
ElBaradei visited Tehran last week and held talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Steinmeier said the Iran nuclear dossier would remain open, even after a U.S. intelligence report suggested that Tehran had had a nuclear weapons programme but abandoned it in 2003.
"Open questions still remain which Iran will have to answer to restore lost confidence," the minister said.
Steinmeier's trip is to prepare for a meeting of Germany and the five permanent Security Council members Tuesday in Berlin.
Diplomats said the talks will include attempts to iron out differences on the language and timing of a third set of U.N. sanctions for Tehran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment and meet other council demands.
Source: Xinhua
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