PARIS, June 3 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed the Iranian foreign minister to Paris on Wednesday to hold talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with Sarkozy and top French officials to hold talks on restarting the negotiations with Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- France, Russia, China, Britain and the United States -- plus Germany.
Western allies have raised repeated concerns that Iran seeks to develop the capability to produce nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said the intent of the Iranian nuclear program is ambiguous, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is for civilian energy purposes.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Tehran considers nuclear weapons "politically retarded" while leading clerics say they violate the principles of Islam, Iran's Press TV reports.
The Financial Times notes the Mottaki visit is the highest level of contact between Iranians and European leaders in years.
France enjoys modest economic ties with Iran, though Sarkozy has joined his Western counterparts in expressing concerns over the Iranian nuclear program.
The meeting comes just days before Iranians head to the polls to elect their next president.
Most Western leaders have expressed reservations over engaging Tehran before the next administration takes office in August.
