Friday, May 5 2006 10:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Advocating a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has asked the United States to hold direct talks with Tehran to settle the dispute.

Annan's comments came as Britain and France moved a resolution in the UN Security Council demanding that Iran suspend nuclear enrichment or face the threat of unspecified 'further measures'.

"I think it would a real tragedy if we were to resort to violence in this situation," he said in an interview with Jim Lehrer telecast on the US Public television stations yesterday.

Observing that it would a good idea for Washington to get directly involved, Annan emphasized that Iranians give the impression, that whatever they discuss with the Europeans had to be checked with the US.

"When you are in that sort of mood, given their own culture, you probably don't put everything on the table," he said.

Washington has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since 1980 after the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 in which 52 Americans were held for 444 days.

But, Annan said, he believes it would possible to work out a package that would satisfy concerns of everybody if all the stakeholders and key players were around the table.