Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi talk during a news conference after their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow yesterday. -Xinhua/AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope yesterday that Iran's nuclear dossier may be returned to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the resolution of the nuclear standoff.

"In fact, the UN Security Council is already discussing the Iranian nuclear problem, but we should use the negotiations between the six nations and Iran to bring the process back to the IAEA framework," Putin was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying after talks with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

"Judging by what I have heard from Iranian partners in Shanghai, this is quite possible," Putin said, referring to his meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Shanghai during a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization last week.

Putin added that he informed the Italian leader in detail about the talks with the Iranian president and they agreed to continue consultations.

"Italy is a key partner to Russia, and the interaction with Iran is very important for Italy as trade and economic contacts are extensive. Given the importance of Russia-Italy relations, we will bear in mind the Italian opinion in defining our stand in negotiations," Putin said.

Prodi said Iran is "a number one commercial partner of Italy." "We have essential interests in that country and welcome the agreement that we will be kept informed," he said.

Tehran is studying an international package of incentives aimed at getting it to halt nuclear enrichment and has yet to formally respond to the offer.

The offer, details of which have not been made public, was backed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany and presented to Iran by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Tuesday his country is ready to enter talks with European countries without any preconditions.

"Talks could take place before we give an eventual answer. A number of issues and doubts in the package of proposals need to be clarified," Mottaki told a press conference in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, the Interfax news agency reported.

"That is why there is a need to start negotiations between Iran and other countries, of course without any preconditions, in order to achieve a rapprochement of the parties," Mottaki said.