Tehran Says It Could Return to American Atomic Talks provided that Approached with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is willing to restart atomic negotiations with the United States on condition that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has declared.
The Iranian diplomat declared only diplomacy was effective, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from intermediaries to resume talks with the US government. He claimed Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to permit the UN nuclear inspectorate to access attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.
Navigating a Challenging Course
The foreign minister is treading a challenging path since Iran aims to avoid be perceived to be proceeding from a stance of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out more powerful in military terms and psychologically from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.
He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the prior discussions.
Previous Talks Abruptly Ended
The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that ended with the US president claiming the locations had been obliterated. Subsequently, Western states used their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.
Ideal Resolution Offered
Iranian officials stated they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with American involvement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been agreed in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could work on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Diplomats asserted three times they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the agreement to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Current Position
Iran's diplomats said the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the offer could be revived in some form if talks resume.
The US president in recent days claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but privately Iranian officials say they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from America either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been charged of non-responsiveness in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts dialogue is not part of a spectacle.
Negotiating Stance
In his address to the forum, intended to depict the US as a dominant force that exploits the notion of global regulations, Araghchi said the fortnight-long engagement demonstrated the clash could not be ended by armed force. He said the attacks started with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and ended with an complete request for a truce.
Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were carried out with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making faith difficult to reestablish.
Negotiations Continues the Ultimate Solution
The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had fled negotiations; it was America and the European states that had always attempted to enforce their will during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be active and stays the primary resolution to resolve conflicts, but its criteria, rules and tenets must be adhered to."
"Provided that they talk to the Iranian people with the language of dignity and respect, they will get a response in the identical approach."
Repair and Rebuilding
In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the conflict of recovery and rebuilding, the foreign minister claimed he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We learned many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."
He continued: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to destroy, stays intact. The installations and equipment, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is important is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to break. The Iranian people have become more powerful, more integrated, and more backing of the administration and the nation in the aftermath of this attack."