Tehran Says It Might Rejoin US Atomic Discussions if Approached with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Iran is willing to reinitiate atomic negotiations with Washington as long as it is handled with "respect" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has stated.
Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue produced results, and revealed fresh requests had been made by mediators to reopen talks with the US government. He said Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.
Walking a Challenging Route
The foreign minister is walking a difficult path since Iran wishes not to be seen to be proceeding from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged stronger in military terms and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.
He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material within its borders that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the previous talks.
Earlier Negotiations Abruptly Concluded
The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that ended with the American leader declaring the sites had been destroyed. Following this, European countries employed their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.
Ideal Resolution Offered
Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with US participation could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.
It had not been agreed in the talks that American atomic experts could function within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Diplomats claimed three times they had secured an understanding with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the deal to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Existing Status
Tehran representatives said the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be resurrected in some form if negotiations resume.
Trump in recent days claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to restart talks, but in private Iran's diplomats state they are not yet getting consistent overtures from Washington either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been charged of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states diplomacy is not part of a show.
Negotiating Stance
In his speech to the forum, aimed to depict the US as a controlling nation that misuses the idea of international law, the foreign minister declared the fortnight-long engagement demonstrated the clash could not be resolved by armed force. He said the attacks started with a US demand for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an unconditional call for a ceasefire.
Iran is convinced the first strikes by Israel were executed with full US knowledge and coordination, making confidence challenging to restore.
Diplomacy Stays the Final Solution
The foreign minister stated: "It was not Iran that had abandoned diplomacy; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently sought to enforce their demands during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be viable and continues the primary answer to address conflicts, but its requirements, rules and principles must be followed."
"If they address to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and honor, they will get a response in the identical tone."
Restoration and Rebuilding
In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the battle of recovery and reconstruction, the foreign minister stated he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been restored. We learned multiple understandings from this conflict; we have identified our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the adversary."
He added: "We successfully passed this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to obliterate, continues to exist. The installations and equipment, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but were unable to shatter. The Iranian people have become more powerful, more cohesive, and more supportive of the leadership and the nation in the wake of this invasion."