GENEVA, Nov 9: Diplomats grappled to secure a landmark deal at talks on Iran`s nuclear programme on Saturday, but Tehran raised the prospect of negotiations being put off after cracks emerged among world powers.

France in particular voiced concerns about a proposed deal, questioning whether it would go far enough to limit Tehran`s alleged nuclear ambitions.

As intensive negotiations continued in Geneva, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged world powers not to miss the chance for a deal.

`I hope that the P5+1 group makes the most out of this exceptional opportunity that the Iranian nation has offered to the international community, so that we can reach a positive result within a reasonable timeframe,` he was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

The US, British, French, German and Russian foreign ministers had rushed to Geneva to join the talks amid hopes of a breakthrough towards ending the decadeold standoff on Iran`s nuclear efforts.

US Secretary of State John Kerry cut off a Middle East tour to fly to Geneva and, despite reports that the talks had broken down, joined Iran`s foreign minister and the chief EU diplomat, Catherine Ashton, for fresh negotiations on Saturday evening.

The proposed agreement seen as a first step ahead of further talks on a final deal would see Iran freeze parts of its nuclear programme for as long as six months in exchange for some relief from the sanctions battering its economy. -AFP