TEHRAN - Iran's top nuclear negotiator said on Tuesday Tehran is ready for fresh talks with world powers over its atomic programme and that is has updated its package of proposals.

"The Islamic republic's package of proposals is updated and ready and will be presented (to world powers)," Saeed Jalili, who also heads the country's Supreme National Security Council, told reporters.

"We hope a new round of talks will be held for reaching a world full of progress and justice ...God willing."

He said Iran was ready with a "revised" package which was updated taking into consideration last year's global developments, which included the economic recession and the Georgian crisis.

Jalili said the package will be directed at the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany.

The six world powers are to meet near Frankfurt on Wednesday to look into harsher UN sanctions against Iran.

Israel is the only country in the Middle Ease that actually has nuclear weapons.

Observers say due the strong Jewish and pro-Israel lobbies in the US and some European countries, these countries have taken a hypocritical stance in relation to nuclear issues in the region.

Tehran had repeatedly protested against Israeli and US war threats, warning them that it would retaliate in the event of any strike against Iran.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had suggested that nuclear weapons states bore some blame for other countries seeking such arms, because they are modernizing arsenals rather than scrapping them.

The US, France and Britain are three nuclear weapons states that have ratified the Nonproliferation Treaty.

"How can I go with a straight face to the non-nuclear-weapon states and tell them nuclear weapons are no good for you, while the weapon states continue to modernize and to say 'we absolutely need nuclear weapons,'" ElBaradei said.

Source: Middle East On Line