World powers gave Iran fresh details on a proposed deal aimed at ending international concern over Tehran's nuclear programme during talks in Istanbul, the European Union said Tuesday. At the talks on Monday, experts from the five permanent UN Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the US -- plus Germany "had technical discussions with Iran," said a brief statement from a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Iranian and foreign nuclear experts gathered in Istanbul on Monday to discuss Tehran's controversial atomic programme, a European Union spokeswoman said. "The meeting is taking place at the expert-level as planned," said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is leading talks between Iran and the so-called P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany. The closed-door meeting is being held in a secret location in the Turkish city, Kocijancic added.

A top Iranian military commander on Saturday told US President Barack Obama that Tehran also had all of its "options on the table," echoing a warning to the Islamic republic by the American leader. "Mr Obama, do not make a mistake: we too have all our options on the table. Before you get deeper in the region's quagmire, go back home!" Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri was quoted as saying on sephanews.com, website of the elite Revolutionary Guards.

By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama visits Israel next week at the onset of spring - the "red line" previously drawn by his host, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to trigger an attack on Iran's nuclear sites. But an Israeli-Iranian war, Washington's nightmare as it tries to scale back defence commitments abroad and avoid a draining Gulf oil crisis, does not appear trip-wire imminent.