Resolve Iran diplomatically: PM

US is putting pressure on India, China and Russia to come down hard on Iran.

India has made another pitch for a peaceful resolution of the row over Iran's nuclear programme, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh telling the US and Russia that diplomacy was the only answer to the crisis.

In separate meetings on Thursday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Singh emphasised the need to use diplomatic means.

"Both sides agreed that diplomacy should be given full chance to resolve the issue," Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters, giving a summary of the Rice-Singh meet.

Rice also discussed the issues the prime minister had raised with President George W Bush after his arrival on Tuesday including cooperation between the two countries on India's civilian nuclear programme.

The spokesman said Iran also came up for discussion when Singh met Putin.

"Both sides agreed that confrontation should be avoided and full play should be given to resolve the issue through diplomatic means," the spokesman said.

The US is putting pressure on India, China and Russia to come down hard on Iran, which Washington says is engaged in a covert programme to produce nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge.