Colin Powell at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. (Reuters)

Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt), Nov. 23 (Reuters): US secretary of state Colin Powell had ?polite dinner conversation? seated alongside his Iranian counterpart yesterday in the most extensive, high-level contact between the countries in years.

Iran and the US, which are locked in a crisis over Tehran?s nuclear programme, do not have diplomatic relations but occasionally over the past few years their senior envoys have crossed paths at international meetings.

The Bush administration has been under pressure from many in the US foreign policy establishment to begin a dialogue with Tehran but it has been divided over whether and to what degree it might reach out.

?During the course of dinner, the secretary and the Iranian foreign minister engaged in polite dinner conversation,? said a senior official.

The Egyptians, hosts of the international conference, arranged the seating at a first-night dinner for countries? top representatives, putting Powell between the Iranian, Kamal Kharrazi, and Iraqi foreign minister Hoshiyar Zebari, the official said.

It was not clear if Powell knew before the meal who would be at his elbow for what would his most extensive encounter with an Iranian as the top US diplomat.