Tehran States It May Resume US Nuclear Negotiations if Handled with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is prepared to resume atomic talks with the United States on condition that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has declared.
The Iranian diplomat stated only diplomacy produced results, and disclosed new appeals had originated from intermediaries to reopen discussions with the US government. He asserted Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran could not yet authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.
Walking a Difficult Path
Araghchi is treading a difficult path since Iran does not want be seen to be proceeding from a stance of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had arisen more powerful militarily and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.
He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.
Earlier Discussions Abruptly Terminated
The earlier sessions of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that concluded with Donald Trump declaring the sites had been obliterated. Following this, EU nations employed their authority to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.
Perfect Agreement Suggested
Tehran representatives said they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with US participation could enrich uranium. Each party would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.
It had not been settled in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could operate inside Iran, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Representatives claimed on multiple occasions they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the deal to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Current Position
Iranian officials said the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be revived in various formats if talks restart.
The American leader in recent days stated he had been getting signals that Iran desired to resume discussions, but confidentially Iran's diplomats state they are not yet getting clear proposals from the United States either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been accused of inactivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran asserts dialogue is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Standpoint
In his address to the forum, intended to depict the US as a controlling nation that abuses the idea of international law, the foreign minister stated the 12-day war showed the conflict could not be settled by military means. He said the strikes commenced with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an complete request for a truce.
Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were executed with complete American awareness and cooperation, making faith hard to restore.
Diplomacy Stays the Primary Answer
Araghchi declared: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was the United States and the western countries that had consistently attempted to impose their will during the talks. Dialogue can still be alive and stays the final solution to settle disputes, but its criteria, regulations and fundamentals must be respected."
"If they address to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and honor, they will obtain a reply in the identical language."
Restoration and Rebuilding
In what is described by Tehran representatives as the battle of restoration and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was confident Iran's military capacities "are much stronger than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We gained many lessons from this conflict; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the opponent."
He continued: "We managed to survive this war. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is important is the will of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but were unable to break. The citizens of Tehran have developed more resilient, more united, and more endorsing of the administration and the country in the wake of this invasion."