Iran States It Might Return to US Atomic Negotiations provided that Approached with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Iran is willing to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with the United States provided that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has declared.
Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue produced results, and revealed new appeals had originated from intermediaries to resume discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran was not yet able to authorize the global atomic watchdog to inspect struck enrichment centers for security reasons.
Walking a Complex Route
Araghchi is navigating a challenging course since Iran does not want appear to be operating from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful defensively and mentally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.
He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.
Previous Talks Abruptly Terminated
The earlier sessions of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with the US president asserting the facilities had been destroyed. Subsequently, Western states used their right to reinstate international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a substantial consequence.
Perfect Agreement Offered
Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had achieved a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.
It had not been agreed in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could operate inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed three times they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".
Current Position
Iranian officials stated the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be reintroduced in some form if discussions reopen.
Trump last week claimed he had been getting signals that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Tehran representatives say they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from the United States either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been charged of passivity in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a performance.
Negotiating Stance
In his remarks to the gathering, intended to portray the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the concept of global regulations, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict demonstrated the dispute could not be resolved by combat operations. He asserted the assaults began with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were executed with full US knowledge and cooperation, making faith difficult to reestablish.
Diplomacy Remains the Ultimate Resolution
Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was America and the European states that had consistently sought to dictate their will during the talks. Negotiations can still be active and remains the primary solution to settle disagreements, but its standards, guidelines and fundamentals must be followed."
"Provided that they address to the nation of Iran with the tone of respect and honor, they will get a answer in the same language."
Restoration and Reconstruction
In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister said he was assured Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been restored. We acquired multiple understandings from this conflict; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the enemy."
He continued: "We successfully passed this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they aimed to obliterate, remains in place. The sites and gear, if eliminated, will be restored; what is important is the will of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but were unable to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have become more resilient, more cohesive, and more supportive of the government and the nation in the wake of this assault."