UNITED NATIONS, May 27: The Bush administration is debating whether to set aside a long-standing policy taboo and open direct talks with Iran to help avert a crisis over Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons program, the New York Times said on Saturday, quoting European and American officials.

European officials who have been in contact with the Bush administration in recent weeks, said the latter planned to intensify its discussions on the issue, the newspaper said.

European leaders who have conducted lengthy, and so far fruitless, negotiations with Iran have made no secret of their desire for Washington to join in the talks, The Times added.

But since the Iranian revolution of 1979 and the crisis over the seizure of American hostages in November that year, the United States has avoided direct talks with Iran.

The paper cited European officials as saying that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had begun discussing the issue with top aides at the State Department.

Administration officials said President Bush, Vice-President Dick Cheney and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld are opposed to direct talks, even through informal channels, The Times reported.

On more than one occasion UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has asked the Americans to open direct talks with Tehran in order to avert a crisis.