Tehran Declares It Could Rejoin American Atomic Talks provided that Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'
Iran is prepared to reinitiate atomic discussions with Washington as long as it is approached with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.
Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy was effective, and revealed fresh requests had come from mediators to reopen talks with the Trump administration. He said Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran was not yet able to authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to access bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.
Walking a Complex Path
The foreign minister is navigating a difficult course since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be operating from a position of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more resilient militarily and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.
He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium domestically that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.
Prior Discussions Suddenly Terminated
The earlier sessions of talks between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that concluded with the US president asserting the locations had been eliminated. Following this, EU nations employed their authority to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Ideal Resolution Suggested
Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had reached a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have continued and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been decided in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could operate inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Representatives asserted on multiple occasions they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".
Present Position
Tehran representatives said the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the offer could be revived in certain ways if discussions resume.
Trump in recent days said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but privately Iran's diplomats state they are not yet getting coherent offers from Washington either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been criticized of inactivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.
Diplomatic Position
In his address to the forum, designed to depict the US as a hegemonic power that misuses the concept of global regulations, the foreign minister declared the fortnight-long engagement showed the conflict could not be settled by combat operations. He stated the assaults started with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.
Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with complete American awareness and cooperation, making confidence challenging to reestablish.
Dialogue Stays the Final Answer
Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was America and the western countries that had consistently sought to enforce their desires during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be viable and continues the ultimate answer to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, regulations and principles must be followed."
"Provided that they address to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and honor, they will obtain a reply in the same language."
Recovery and Rebuilding
In what is described by Iranian officials as the battle of repair and rebuilding, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's military capacities "are much stronger than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We gained many lessons from this conflict; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."
He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to obliterate, stays intact. The facilities and equipment, if damaged, will be restored; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but did not succeed to destroy. The Iranian people have developed more resilient, more cohesive, and more supportive of the leadership and the state in the face of this attack."