Iranian media say a senior Russian official is in Tehran to discuss restarting talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program.

State-run IRNA reports that Russia's National Security Council Secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, was meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Saeed Jalili. He will also meet with other Iranian officials during his two-day visit.

Russia is trying to revive talks between Iran and Western nations concerned that Tehran may be trying to develop nuclear weapons. Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov presented a proposal calling for Iran to address the U.N. nuclear agency's concerns about the Iranian nuclear program and be rewarded with a gradual easing of sanctions.

In response to the proposal, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was prepared to take steps to resolve its nuclear dispute with Western powers in return for reciprocal steps from the international community. However, the press attache in the Russian Embassy in Tehran told VOA's Persian News Network that Iran has not officially confirmed that it accepts the Russian proposal.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran did not cooperate with its investigation of Western allegations that Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes.

Talks earlier this year between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany, did not make progress.