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Q: Do you share the concern expressed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior that the conflicts in Afghanistan and regarding the Iranian nuclear programme could exacerbate Islamist terrorism and increase the threat to Germany?

A: I'm not aware of any such statement by the interior ministry, but it is true that concern about the consequences of the Iran conflict escalating far beyond the Middle East is one of the main motives behind our commitment on this issue.

Q: Crisis diplomacy on Iran is costing you so much time that you have to postpone a planned visit to Africa. Is Germany's global policy overstretching its agents?

A: It is clear that international crises and problems don't arrive singly so that they can be resolved one after the other. But this is nothing new. France, the UK and Germany - the EU-3 - are making available their experience of negotiating with Iran in order to help achieve a solution, which unfortunately has not yet been found, to this serious crisis. If we are not successful the whole global community will be on the losing side.

Q: Iran has until mid-July to reply to the offer of negotiations made by the USA, Russia, China and the EU-3. But Tehran is once again playing for time. Who will give in?

A: It is not a question of either side "giving in". We have presented to Iran a highly comprehensive offer which takes into account its legitimate interest in the civilian use of nuclear energy, and which also opens up the prospect of broad-based cooperation in a number of fields. And I am firmly convinced that Iran will need technical and economic cooperation in order to develop further.

It is now up to Iran to take a decision - by suspending its enrichment activities Tehran can open the door to a return to the negotiating table. If it does not, Iran could become increasingly isolated internationally, which would be its own fault. This cannot be in anyone's interests, and I can only hope that the voices of reason in Tehran gain the upper hand.