Merkel: We should broaden negotiating framework for Iran nuclear deal

German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (not pictured) in Berlin, Germany, May 2, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that the nuclear deal with Iran should not be cancelled but its negotiating framework needed to be broadened.

Merkel said Iran's missile progamme and its political influence in Syria needed to be discussed, adding that this was a widespread position in the European Union.

"We will continue with our argumentation, namely keeping the JCPOA (nuclear deal) plus expansion of the negotiating framework," Merkel said.

Merkel said it was important for Israel to quickly make the information it has on Iran available to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled on Monday what he said was evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme that could encourage the United States to pull out this month of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

(Reporting by Michelle Martin and Michael Nienaber; Editing by Andrea Shalal)