Iran has called on its European negotiating partners to resume talks over its controversial nuclear activity and reiterated its warning that it may reduce its cooperation with the United Nations nuclear agency if it is referred to the Security Council for sanctions.

A foreign ministry statement read on state television on Monday said Iran was "ready to accept constructive and effective proposals" on its nuclear programmes.

The statement comes two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution that put Iran on the verge of referral to the UNSC unless Tehran eases suspicions about its nuclear activities.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is designed for generating electricity and rejected the IAEA resolution as "political, illegal and illogical" and orchestrated by the United States.

Monday's statement repeated a warning that a referral to the Security Council may force Iran to reduce IAEA powers to inspect its nuclear activities under an additional protocol to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which it has signed but not yet ratified.

"Iran would cancel all its voluntary and temporary measures, including implementation of the Additional Protocol," it said.

The protocol allows short-notice, more intrusive inspections of nuclear facilities by the IAEA. Iran had been allowing the inspections but has said the Iranian Parliament and the Guardian Council, Iran's constitutional watchdog, must approve the additional protocol before turning into a binding law.