Iranian, EU and US negotiators have gathered to discuss how to implement a deal agreed last year and aimed at containing Tehran's nuclear program.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, also discussed the implementation of the accord, agreed on November 24, in a phone conversation earlier on Thursday, according to the Kremlin.
Rouhani cautioned against "seeking excuses that would create problems in the negotiation process", Iran's ISNA news agency reported.
He also called on "certain countries ... to respect their own commitments [under the Geneva deal] and avoid new strictures that would shadow their goodwill".
Negotiators have said they want to implement the deal, which aims to rein in Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for some sanctions relief, by January 20.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was optimistic before the talks, but some observers said sticking points could still cause delays.
The talks in Geneva were expected to continue on Friday and be focused on the topic of advanced centrifuges.
The European Union, which represents the so-called P5+1 group of world powers - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany - has said little about the discussions.
Iran's deputy chief nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, and Helga Schmid, deputy to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, will "discuss outstanding issues" on implementing the deal, was all Ashton's spokesman Michael Mann would say.
The US State Department said its senior nuclear negotiator, Wendy Sherman, had met Araqchi and Schmid to provide "views and information that was useful to discussions to address any remaining issues to the agreement to the joint plan of action".
Iran and the US also held a bilateral meeting.
Western powers and Israel fear that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian program, but Tehran has always denied this.
Under the November deal, Iran agreed to curb parts of its nuclear program for six months in exchange for receiving modest relief from international sanctions and a promise by Western powers not to impose new measures against its economy.
Technical experts from both sides have since held several sessions in Geneva to refine the deal.
Zarif, Iran's leading nuclear negotiator, said on Facebook on Wednesday that "the nuclear talks are continuing with seriousness and a strong political will".
But some observers said a new generation of nuclear centrifuges, which could potentially enable Iran to make weapons-grade nuclear materials, may become a sticking point.
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