Berlin, May 23, IRNA -- Germany here Wednesday welcomed the latest agreement between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog, saying it could be an "important" step in the right direction.

Speaking at a routine weekly government press briefing, deputy foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer reiterated his country's support for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to clarify the outstanding issues on Tehran's nuclear program.

The German diplomat pointed out that both Iran and the UN nuclear agency had yet to sign a written agreement.

Schaefer's remarks come one day after the US labeled the Iran-IAEA deal "a step forward."

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland emphasized that Washington "fully supports (Iran's) efforts and those of the IAEA to try to

resolve the outstanding issues."

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United

States, France, Britain, China and Russia - plus Germany are attending

a meeting in Baghdad on Iran's nuclear program, the second in a series

of recent talks.

Iran and the six western powers revived talks on the nuclear issue in Istanbul in March.

Both sides termed the meeting as "positive."

Tehran has repeatedly made clear its nuclear programme is merely geared at peaceful purposes.