Washington, Feb 15 (IANS): US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Iran to make "real offers" and engage in a "real dialogue" in the upcoming nuclear talks with world powers.

"I want to reiterate that these talks can only make progress if the Iranians come to the table determined to make and discuss real offers and engage in a real dialogue," Xinhua quoted Kerry as saying at a press conference alongside UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"Countries that have peaceful programmes do not have problems proving to people that they are peaceful," he said.

"So we are not going to get trapped into a delay-after-delay process here."

As Iran agreed to start fresh talks with the so-called P5 1 group -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany -- Feb 26 in Kazakhstan, the Obama administration has again urged Tehran to engage in "substantive" negotiations over its disputed nuclear programme in return for eased sanctions.

"I think it is incumbent on the Iranians to prove that they are prepared to meet our willingness, President Obama's willingness, again and again stated by the President, to be open to a diplomatic resolution here," Kerry said.

Iran and the West are locked in a bitter dispute over the former's nuclear activities, with the latter accusing Tehran of developing nuclear weapon under a civilian cover, a charge Iran has consistently denied.