Germany's foreign minister said there is currently no prospect of successful talks with Iran on its nuclear program, but stressed in an interview broadcast Saturday that an incentives package aimed at defusing the issue remains on the table.

"We do not at the moment have a situation in which negotiations can be held with prospects of success, so the (UN) Security Council must take up its efforts" to work toward possible sanctions, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Inforadio.

"But we have made equally clear that our offer for cooperation with Iran remains on the table," Steinmeier added, referring to the conclusions of an Oct. 6 meeting of foreign ministers from the five permanent Security Council members and Germany.

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"That means: we are ready to return to the negotiating table any time if Iran declares its readiness to accept the conditions for negotiations," he said.

The six powers' repeated attempts to entice Iran to enter nuclear negotiations foundered earlier this month over Tehran's refusal to give up uranium enrichment.