Iranian foreign minister to visit Austria as Tehran seeks support against new UN sanctions

Iran foreign minister to visit Austria

VIENNA — Iran’s foreign minister is to visit Austria as Tehran focuses on weakening a U.S.-led push for new U.N. sanctions on Tehran.

Austria’s foreign ministry says Manouchehr Mottaki will meet his Austrian counterpart Sunday. Austria is a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, which is preparing to consider a fourth round of sanction on Tehran for its nuclear defiance.

Ahead of his trip, Mottaki said Iran wants one-on-one talks with all council members except the U.S. He said the talks would deal with a nuclear fuel agreement.

Originally touted as a possible way to ease the international standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, those negotiations have since hit a dead end.