Netanyahu insists on 'real solution' to Iran nuclear crisis

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today insisted on the need for a "real" solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis, after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Putin said that the two men discussed the Iranian nuclear standoff "in detail" at Kremlin talks which overran by several hours. But the Israeli premier was insistent that only the strongest of diplomatic solutions was acceptable for his country.

Netanyahu's visit to Moscow was seen as a last-minute bid to influence an emerging nuclear deal with Iran strongly opposed by the Jewish state and being discussed by world powers and Iranian diplomats in Geneva.

"We would all like a diplomatic solution, but it needs to be a real solution," said Netanyahu, adding that this would involve Iran halting nuclear work in the same way as Syria was allowing its chemical weapons arsenal to be destroyed.

Iran would have to halt uranium enrichment, stop work on centrifuges, have enriched uranium material taken out from Iran and dismantle the Arak heavy water reactor, he said.

"We think it is possible to get a better agreement but that requires determination," Netanyahu warned. Israel has never ruled out the use of force against the Iranian nuclear drive.

Speaking as the talks got under way in Geneva between Iran and world powers, Putin for his part said he hoped that "in the nearest future a mutually acceptable solution is found" to end the crisis.

"As the consultations in Geneva showed, there is a possibility this can be done. I hope that the talks that resumed today in Geneva bring results," Putin said.