Tehran Declares It Could Return to US Nuclear Talks if Handled with 'Respect' and 'Respect'
Iran is prepared to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with Washington provided that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.
Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy worked, and disclosed recent overtures had been made by mediators to resume discussions with the American leadership. He said Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran could not yet authorize the global atomic watchdog to access attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.
Navigating a Challenging Route
The foreign minister is treading a complex path since Iran wishes not to appear to be acting from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful defensively and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.
He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to enrich uranium within its borders that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.
Earlier Discussions Suddenly Terminated
The prior phases of negotiations between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that concluded with Donald Trump asserting the facilities had been eliminated. Afterward, EU nations used their privilege to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran maintains they have not had a significant effect.
Ideal Resolution Proposed
Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had attained a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was agreed an local partnership with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been agreed in the discussions that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the partnership suggestion. Officials stated repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the deal to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".
Current Position
Iranian officials said the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be resurrected in various formats if negotiations resume.
The American leader last week stated he had been receiving messages that Iran sought to restart talks, but in private Tehran representatives state they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from the United States either directly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran says negotiations is not part of a performance.
Negotiating Position
In his address to the gathering, designed to portray the US as a dominant force that misuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the two-week conflict revealed the clash could not be settled by armed force. He said the attacks started with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with total Washington understanding and coordination, making confidence difficult to rebuild.
Negotiations Continues the Primary Resolution
The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned diplomacy; it was America and the European states that had always tried to dictate their will during the talks. Dialogue can still be active and stays the ultimate answer to resolve conflicts, but its standards, guidelines and principles must be adhered to."
"If they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and respect, they will receive a reply in the identical approach."
Repair and Rebuilding
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister stated he was certain Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been restored. We acquired numerous insights from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the adversary."
He added: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The installations and equipment, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the determination of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but were unable to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more cohesive, and more backing of the leadership and the nation in the wake of this attack."