Istanbul , Turkey ( CNN ) -- Iranian nuclear negotiators arrived Friday and began consultations with Chinese and Russian counterparts on the eve of international talks on the country 's nuclear program , state media reported . Iran 's top negotiator , Saeed Jalili , has said he intends to bring `` new initiatives '' to talks Saturday with delegates from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States , France , Russia , China , and Britain -- and Germany . That group has spearheaded diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to rein in its nuclear program , which Iran has said is purely peaceful but which U.N. and Western leaders suspect of having military aims , including a possible nuclear weapon . On Friday , Iran 's official Press TV cited a source close to the Iranian delegation in reporting that Iran sees little encouraging coming from the remarks of European and U.S. officials ahead of the talks . Iran has been under increasing pressure to accept international demands to restrict its nuclear program , including a series of increasingly harsh economic sanctions imposed by European nations and the United States . Last month , Iranian officials signaled they were ready to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency , the U.N. nuclear watchdog , over the issue . The European Union said Monday that Iran had agreed to Saturday 's talks in Istanbul . Iran suggested last week that one proposal may be a reduction in the amount of uranium it enriches to 20 % , but it was unclear Friday if such a proposal was still on the table . While the enrichment is n't enough to create nuclear weapons , which require a uranium content of 90 % or more , analysts and inspectors say it is step toward being able to create a nuclear weapon . Last month , the IAEA noted what it called a sharp and troubling increase in Iran 's uranium enrichment capabilities . Iran says the enrichment is for research and medical needs . As a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty , Iran has the right , like other countries , to enrich uranium for commercial and research reactors . But the same facilities that are used for peaceful enrichment can be used to enrich uranium for a bomb , and inspectors say they have not been able to fully gauge Iran 's intentions . IAEA inspectors traveled to Iran in January and again in February to discuss the issue but said Iran refused to grant inspectors access to a military base the agency believes may have been used to test explosives that could be used to detonate a nuclear bomb . Last month , IAEA director Yukiya Amano said the agency has credible information that Iran has engaged in `` activities relevant to the development of nuclear explosive devices . '' On Thursday , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admonished Iranian officials to come to Istanbul willing to make progress on international demands . `` This is a chance for Iran to credibly address the concerns of the international community , '' Clinton said . `` Iran , coming to the table , needs to demonstrate that they are serious . '' A top Iranian religious leader , Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani , countered Friday that Western leaders should back off , according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency . They should , instead , `` react to Iran 's proposals logically and stop the current unconstructive accusations against the Islamic Republic , '' IRNA quoted him as saying .
Iranian nuclear negotiators arrive in Istanbul , Turkey , for talks . Iran could bring `` new initiatives '' to the discussions , its top negotiator says . State media says Iranian officials are not encouraged going into the meeting . Iran is under intense pressure to rein in its nuclear program .