Iran Says It Could Resume US Atomic Talks if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'
Tehran is ready to resume nuclear discussions with Washington provided that it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has declared.
The Iranian diplomat stated exclusively dialogue produced results, and shared recent overtures had originated from mediators to reopen negotiations with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran was not yet able to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.
Navigating a Difficult Course
Araghchi is walking a difficult route since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be proceeding from a position of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger in military terms and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.
He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will never give up" – the main reason of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.
Previous Discussions Unexpectedly Ended
The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with the American leader claiming the sites had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations employed their authority to reimpose international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Magic Solution Proposed
Iran's diplomats said they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to declare success since local refinement would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been settled in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could function on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats claimed three times they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the agreement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".
Existing Status
Iranian officials stated the cooperative arrangement was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the offer could be resurrected in some form if talks resume.
The American leader in recent days stated he had been getting signals that Iran desired to restart talks, but in private Iranian officials say they are not yet getting consistent overtures from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been charged of inactivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran says diplomacy is not part of a performance.
Negotiating Position
In his remarks to the gathering, intended to portray the US as a controlling nation that misuses the idea of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the 12-day war showed the conflict could not be ended by military means. He asserted the strikes commenced with a US demand for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and coordination, making confidence challenging to restore.
Negotiations Continues the Final Answer
The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had fled dialogue; it was America and the Western nations that had consistently attempted to impose their demands during the discussions. Negotiations can still be alive and continues the ultimate resolution to settle disputes, but its standards, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."
"If they talk to the Iranian people with the language of respect and honor, they will receive a response in the equivalent language."
Repair and Rebuilding
In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of restoration and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been rebuilt. We acquired multiple understandings from this engagement; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the enemy."
He continued: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to eliminate, remains in place. The sites and machinery, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is essential is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but did not succeed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have become more resilient, more integrated, and more supportive of the leadership and the country in the face of this assault."