"The recent proposal made by Iraqi leaders for Iran to talk with the US about issues relating to Iraq: we look on this proposal as an opportunity to help the Iraqi nation," Mottaki told journalists in Geneva.

"These negotiations will be limited only to Iraq. The venue, the team of negotiators and the time is yet to be finalised," he added.

The idea was floated earlier this month by Ali Larjani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and was later accepted by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad despite his own sense of "distrust" of the United States.

US Secretary of State Condole-ezza Rice said last week she was "quite certain" that US officials would hold direct talks with Iran on the turmoil in Iraq.

Any direct meeting would mark a break in a near three-decade pause in direct contacts between US and Iranian officials following the country's 1979 Islamic revolution, despite heightened tensions due to the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme.

US President George W. Bush expressed concern Wednesday about Iran meddling in Iraq's formation of a national unity government.

Earlier Russia urged Iran to heed "in the fullest way" possible a UN Security Council call for Tehran to end uranium enrichment activities within 30 days.

"We urge the Iranian leadership to obey the common view of UN Security Council members in the fullest way and guarantee full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.