New Delhi: The US tonight asked India to "diminish" its economic relations with "nuclear outlaw" Iran and join the international community in dealing with "one of the most difficult security problems" facing the world.

"We hope that India, as well as all other states -- China, Russia, France, Britain and Japan -- will diminish their economic relations with Iran," US under secretary of State Nicholas Burns said.

Talking to TV channels over phone from Washington, he said the US expected India to be part of the international community to "deal with one of the most difficult security problems we face internationally today."