World powers sought a response from Iran Friday over a proposal for ending the decade-long nuclear crisis, even as the Islamic republic struck a tough line over its right to enrich uranium. The world powers will be assessing whether Iran is ready to accept a series of demands that the powers presented at the last such negotiations at the same venue in Kazakhstan in February.

Iran and world powers met in Kazakhstan Friday for new talks seeking an elusive breakthrough on the Iranian nuclear crisis, with Tehran defiantly insisting its rights must be recognised. The decade-old nuclear dispute has left the Islamic republic's economy badly hurt by UN sanctions and Tehran risking military action from its arch foe Israel. At stake at the two-day talks in the Kazakh mountain city of Almaty will be whether Iran is ready to accept a series of demands that the powers presented at the last such negotiations at the same venue in February.

Iran heads into nuclear talks with world powers this week in an apparently uncompromising mood, demanding Thursday the immediate recognition of its right to enrich uranium and downplaying the chances of direct talks with the United States. The six nations negotiating with Iran have expressed cautious optimism as each side settled in for two days of meetings opening Friday in the Kazakh city of Almaty -- the fifth such round of negotiations on Iran's nuclear drive in two years.

Iran went into talks with world powers in apparently uncompromising mood Thursday by demanding the immediate recognition of its right to enrich uranium and dismissing the chances of direct talks with the United States. The powers themselves expressed cautious optimism as each side settled in for two days of meetings that start Friday on Iran's nuclear programme in the Kazakh city of Almaty -- the fifth such talks in two years.