TEHRAN/MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Iran's president has told his Russian counterpart talks over Iran's nuclear dispute were being hindered because the European side did not have enough authority, Iran's state television reported on Tuesday.

President Mahmud Ahmadinejad made the comments to Russia's Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation, the report said. Moscow had said the telephone discussion took place on Monday.

"The most important problem in continuing Iran and Europe's negotiations (over the nuclear issue) is the European side's lack of enough authority (to take decisions)," the television report quoted Ahmadinejad as telling Putin.

European Union foreign policy Chief Javier Solana held months of talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani. But those talks did not reach a deal and Solana said this month it was up to Iran to decide if talks should continue.

Solana had been seeking to coax Iran to halt uranium enrichment and receive incentives offered by six world powers in return.

Iran has legal right to make fuel for nuclear power plants as it is a member to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Iran says negotiations are the only way to resolve the dispute.

European states have prepared a draft sanctions resolution but Russia has voiced misgivings.

"Some Western countries create obstacles and prevent a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear case," Ahmadinejad said.

Iran has often blamed the United States, its arch-foe, for seeking to sway others against Iran. Washington has been seeking to toughen the sanctions resolution.

In a statement on Monday, the Kremlin said Putin and Ahmadinejad had discussed the nuclear dispute and the Russian president had said Moscow favored further talks.