Pope Benedict XVI and former Iranian president Seyed Mohammad Khatami met at the Vatican Friday as part of ongoing Church efforts to improve relations with Muslims.

Iran will not bow to international pressure to halt its nuclear program, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, after world powers told Tehran to halt uranium enrichment or face a third round of UN sanctions, Reuters reported.

South Africa proposed a compromise on Friday to prevent a global meeting on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) from collapsing over Iranian objections to the agenda, and Tehran said it would consider the idea.