Iran's ambassador to Germany says his country is ready for a new round of talks with major world powers about Iran's controversial nuclear program.

The semi-official Mehr news agency reported Saturday that Ambassador Ali Reza Sheikh Attar says Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, will propose the talks in a letter to the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.

The renewed dialogue would be between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France — as well as Germany.

The ambassador did not say how soon the letter would be sent.

The West fears Iran's nuclear program is geared toward making atomic weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

Talks earlier this year between Iran and the six world powers did not make progress.