Astana, Feb 27 (IANS): China and Iran called for dialogue ahead of the new round of nuclear talks which began in Kazakhstan Tuesday.

The call was given as delegations from both the countries held a bilateral meet in Almaty, the largest city fo Kazakhstan, Xinhua reported.

"Talks and dialogues will be the only correct solution to the Iran nuclear issue, which is always our stand," said Ma Zhaoxu, China's assistant foreign minister and representative to the Iran-P5 1 nuclear talks.

In a meeting with Ali Baqeri, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ma said: "We hope that the sides of the talks will work together, caring for each other's interests and to promote the talks to make real progress."

Representatives of Iran and the UN Security Council's five permanent members -- the US, Britain, France, Russia and China -- plus Germany, known as P5 1, and the EU, Tuesday began a new round of talks concerning Iran's disputed nuclear programme.

"The parties should take this opportunity and begin to negotiate in a realistic way, and promoting the dialogues to make new progress," the Chinese minister said.

The nuclear talks formally resumed in Almaty Tuesday for the first time since June, with the international community presenting a new proposal to Tehran and underlining the "urgent need" for progress.