Russia said Thursday it was "realistic" to hold direct talks next month between Iran’s chief negotiator and six-nation representative Catherine Ashton over the Islamic republic’s nuclear drive

Russia said Thursday it was "realistic" to hold direct talks next month between Iran's chief negotiator and six-nation representative Catherine Ashton over the Islamic republic's nuclear drive.

"It would be realistic to talk about organizing one in November," Interfax quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

He refused to speculate where the meeting might be organized, but ruled out the Russian capital.

"In either case, it will not be Moscow," he was quoted as saying by Interfax.

The last round of direct talks in Moscow in June included mentions of a new meeting possibly being held in a neutral venue such as the Kazakh capital Astana or Beijing.