powwow as a "freebie" for Tehran. Also, the Islamic Republic is a theocracy: The most senior officials need to report face-to-face to their master. Jalili, an ill-tempered, narrow-minded, one-legged veteran of the EFTA00660164 Iran-Iraq war, lost face after a disastrous meeting in Geneva in October

o peaceful nuclear energy, "our talks for cooperation based on step-by-step principles and reciprocity on Iran's nuclear issue could be commenced." Jalili's status as personal representative of the supreme leader was important, too. "Step-by-step" and "reciprocity" are the two guideposts for this exer

t with Catherine Ashton, the chief European Union diplomat who EFTA_R1_02203681 EFTA02720369 heads the "P5+1" negotiating group of major powers. Jalili also dropped Iran's call for another preliminary meeting to prepare for the Moscow session, which is set for next Monday and Tuesday. "They backe