Iran Says It Might Return to US Nuclear Negotiations if Treated with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Iran is ready to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with Washington on condition that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has stated.
Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy produced results, and shared new appeals had come from go-betweens to restart discussions with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet permit the global atomic watchdog to visit bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.
Walking a Complex Route
Araghchi is walking a challenging path since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be acting from a position of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more resilient in military terms and emotionally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.
He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the prior discussions.
Earlier Talks Unexpectedly Terminated
The earlier sessions of talks between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that ended with Donald Trump declaring the facilities had been obliterated. Subsequently, European countries employed their privilege to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.
Ideal Resolution Suggested
Iranian officials stated they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an local partnership with American involvement could enrich uranium. Each party would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be certain that Iran's atomic project was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been settled in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could work within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Diplomats stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".
Current Situation
Iran's diplomats declared the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be resurrected in some form if talks restart.
The American leader recently claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to resume discussions, but in private Tehran representatives claim they are not yet receiving clear proposals from America either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of passivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states dialogue is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Standpoint
In his remarks to the forum, intended to portray the US as a controlling nation that abuses the concept of international law, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict showed the clash could not be resolved by combat operations. He said the attacks started with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with full US knowledge and coordination, making faith hard to rebuild.
Negotiations Remains the Primary Solution
The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the European states that had repeatedly tried to impose their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be viable and stays the final answer to settle conflicts, but its requirements, guidelines and principles must be followed."
"In case they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of respect and honor, they will get a reply in the same approach."
Repair and Reconstruction
In what is portrayed by Tehran representatives as the struggle of recovery and reconstruction, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We acquired multiple understandings from this engagement; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the opponent."
He added: "We successfully passed this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The installations and gear, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but did not succeed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have developed stronger, more united, and more endorsing of the leadership and the state in the wake of this invasion."