6 nations to hold meeting on Iran in Germany

Germany and France on Monday reinforced a call for Iran to respond to concerns about its nuclear program in September or face tougher sanctions, and said they wanted wide international agreement on those measures.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel pointed to a Group of Eight leaders' agreement in July to reevaluate their position on Iran at a G-20 summit in late September. President Barack Obama has set a Sept. 15 deadline for Iran to respond to US overtures about negotiating over its nuclear program.

"Initiatives must be taken during the month of September which take account of Iran's will or otherwise to cooperate," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said after meeting Merkel. If it does not, he said, "Germany and France will be united in calling for a strengthening of sanctions."

"Iran should know that we mean this very seriously," Merkel said. Teheran "must not again let the deadline elapse at will," she added.

Merkel last week urged Iran to stop its nuclear program and return to negotiations in September, or risk facing stiffer sanctions "in the energy, financial and other important sectors."

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Source: JPost