Germany looks to 'lead' US-Iran talks

European powers hope to broker a new round of negotiations between the United States and Iran in a bid to prevent the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, Germany’s top diplomat said Saturday.

“The latest escalation requires us as European neighbors to intervene in favor of de-escalation and peaceful coexistence,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters during an unannounced stop to Iraq. “We cannot just seek dialogue, we must lead it, precisely where the differences seem insurmountable and long-simmering conflicts run deep.”