Iran nuke negotiator in Turkey for talks

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ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Iran's lead nuclear negotiator arrived in Ankara, Turkey, to meet Tuesday with Turkish and European Union leaders, but wasn't greeted by anyone, officials said.

Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili arrived at the Prime Ministry Tuesday to meet with with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, only to find no Turkish official was on hand to welcome him when he emerged from his car, Today's Zaman reported.

Jalili was met by an official inside the ministry, who escorted him to the meeting, officials said.

Jalili also will meet European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Istanbul for technical talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program.

Ashton is heading nuclear talks with Iran on behalf of the United States, China, Russia, Britain, Germany and France. The countries involved in the talks want Iran to scale back its uranium enrichment program. They want Iran to cease refining uranium to levels close to weapons-grade capabilities because they fear Tehran wants to grow its ability to develop nuclear weapon.