Iran has exchanged messages with major powers on its nuclear energy programme and sees signs of progress, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday, despite Western attempts to impose more sanctions. "There have been ongoing negotiations and messages are being exchanged so we have to just wait. There are some minor signs indicating a realistic approach, so any probable developments or progress can be discussed later," Mottaki told a news conference in Tehran.

"We are prepared to help in order to facilitate such realistic approaches and this may bear fruit," he said, in remarks aired on English-language Press TV. Six powers met on Saturday to discuss prospects of imposing further sanctions against Iran over a nuclear programme they suspect the Islamic Republic will use to obtain nuclear weapons. Tehran says it is interested only in generating electricity. The talks among diplomats from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China failed to reach an agreement, and afterwards participants said China made clear it opposed more punitive action at present.

Copyright Reuters, 2010