World powers began talks with Iran on its nuclear program in the Kazakh city of Almaty on Tuesday, in a fresh attempt to resolve a decade-old standoff that threatens the Middle East with a new war.

The six - United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France - are expected to offer Tehran some sanctions relief if it curbs work which they suspect is intended to produce material for nuclear weapons, although Iran denies this.

No breakthrough is expected at the talks, the first such meeting in eight months, but diplomats hope for an agreement to hold further talks soon on how to implement steps to ease the tension.