DHAKA: US Secretary of State John Kerry met Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Sunday amid ongoing efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme.

‘Secretary Kerry and foreign minister Zarif met on the margins of the Munich Security Conference this morning,’ said State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki.

The face-to-face came ahead of world powers holding their next talks on Tehran’s contested nuclear programme February 18.

In an initial accord in November, Iran agreed with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany that it would roll back its nuclear programme and open it to wider inspections.

In return, the world powers agreed to partially lift tough sanctions that have caused immense damage to the Iranian economy.

BDST: 1834 HRS, FEB 02, 2014