( dpa )- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Berlin this month for discussions with counterparts from other major powers on Iran's nuclear activities, the State Department said Wednesday.
Rice will attend a January 22 meeting with the four other permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France and Russia - plus Germany as the United States seeks a third resolution to punish Iran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.
The United States along with Britain and France have backed another sanctions resolution, but have faced resistance from China and Russia, two countries with close economic ties to Iran.
Iran insists it is enriching uranium for civilian energy needs, refuting US concerns the Islamic state could use the process to develop nuclear weapons.
Rice will also hold separate talks with German officials to discuss bilateral relations and the NATO effort in Afghanistan, where Germany has 3,200 troops.
Rice will then travel to Davos , Switzerland for the January 23 gathering of the World Economic Forum.