New nuclear talks under way

Officials have indicated that the five permanent members of the UN security council plus Germany group will offer some concessions on sanctions against Iran to help negotiations.

Western powers dispute Iran's claim that its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes - but Iran says it is entitled to a civilian nuclear energy programme as a Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory.

The latest round of talks in Kazakhstan come after negotiations in Moscow in June 2012 reached an impasse.

Iran said it had "dynamic" proposals of its own in response to an easing of Western sanctions on the gold trade, petrochemicals and banking.

Russia said it would support an easing of sanctions if Iran can prove its ambitions are peaceful.

"There is no certainty that the Iranian nuclear programme lacks a military dimension, although there is also no evidence that there is a military dimension," said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

China called on both sides to make concessions, urging all parties to "peacefully resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation and take an objective and pragmatic attitude."

Iran said it had had bilateral meetings with China and had one planned with Russia, but ruled out meeting the US for one-on-one talks.

A series of harsh sanctions have reduced Iran's daily oil output by a million barrels and caused a surge in unemployment.