NEW DELHI (AFP) -- India Monday urged the international community to avoid a confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program, saying it could worsen tensions in the region.

"We remain hopeful that a solution acceptable to all sides will be found, we do not favor confrontation," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told parliament.

"India has consistently stated that all sides must work to find a mutually acceptable compromise solution and that confrontation should be avoided at all costs.

"For this to be possible, time must be given for diplomacy to work," he said. "We do not favor confrontation, rhetoric or coercive measures as these only exacerbate tensions in the region and beyond," Singh warned.

"Confrontation is not in the interest of India or our region."

India last month voted with 26 other nations to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program. It was the second time New Delhi voted for pressure on Tehran to halt its nuclear program. On India's position at current meeting in Vienna, Singh said: "It is as yet not clear in what manner this issue will be taken up.

"The government's approach will be based on our consistent policy of promoting efforts for a resolution of issues through dialogue and discussions."

Singh said he had discussed the IAEA meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the weekend.

Chirac says talks with Iran should continue

French President Jacques Chirac said on Monday efforts to convince Iran to stop nuclear research would continue even though Iran had "disappointed" the international community.

"The international community as a whole has been disappointed by Iran's reactions, but it has not been discouraged despite that ... We don't give up, we actively continue our efforts internationally to convince the Iranians," he told a news conference in Saudi Arabia.

"The international consensus must be respected, thus the efforts we are currently making to complement those of (Mohamed) ElBaradei at the IAEA," he added.

France has held talks with Iranian officials along with European Union partners Britain and Germany, but they have not managed to find a compromise so far.