Updated

Germany is urging its international partners and Iran to seize the opportunity to negotiate an end to the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program ahead of an end-of-month deadline.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Monday that after "more than 10 years of negotiations, we should seize this opportunity."

Steinmeier will join the foreign ministers of France and Britain and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini for talks in Brussels later Monday with their Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Iran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity and at medical research but many in the West fear the Islamic Republic is trying to covertly build atomic weapons.