Western intelligence services may have kidnapped a former Iranian deputy defense minister who went missing in Turkey, Iran's police chief was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Ali Reza Asgari was on a personal trip and vanished after arriving in Turkey from Damascus, Iranian police chief Ismail Ahmadi-Moghaddam was quoted as saying by the Iranian ILNA news agency.

"It is possible that former deputy defense minister Asgari was kidnapped by Western intelligence services because of his Defense Ministry background," Ahmadi-Moghaddam said.

"He went missing after three days stay in Turkey. Police inquiries show he has not left Turkey," he said, adding there was no indication Asgari had died or had been hospitalized.

Turkish media reports said Asgari, 63, went missing after checking into an Istanbul hotel on February 7.

Turkish newspaper Milliyet, citing unnamed officials, said Turkish intelligence and police had found Asgari opposed the Iranian government and had information on its nuclear plans.

The West says Iran's nuclear program is a covert attempt to make atomic bombs, a charge which Tehran denies.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry official, who declined to be named, said it was following the case at the request of Iran but did not consider it unusual.

"He is an ordinary Iranian missing person for us," the official said. "After they (the Interior Ministry) will come up with a solution we will pass the results to the Iranians through the same diplomatic procedures."

Turkish daily Hurriyet said last month two foreigners had gone to the reception of an Istanbul hotel on February 6 to make a room reservation for Asgari for three nights. They paid in cash. He checked into the hotel on February 7 and later disappeared.

(With additional reporting by Zerin Elci in Ankara)