Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday insisted on the need for a "real" solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis, after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"We would all like a diplomatic solution, but it needs to be a real solution," said Netanyahu, adding that this would involve Iran halting uranium enrichment and centrifuge work in the same way as Syria was allowing its chemical weapons arsenal to be destroyed.

Speaking as talks got under way in Geneva between Iran and world powers, Putin for his part said he hoped that "in the nearest future a mutually acceptable solution is found" to end the crisis.