Iran Declares It Could Return to US Nuclear Discussions provided that Handled with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is willing to restart nuclear discussions with the United States as long as it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.
Abbas Araghchi stated exclusively dialogue was effective, and shared new appeals had been made by mediators to resume discussions with the Trump administration. He said Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran had not yet reached a point to permit the global atomic watchdog to inspect bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.
Walking a Complex Course
The foreign minister is treading a difficult course since Iran wishes not to appear to be acting from a stance of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had arisen stronger militarily and emotionally from the joint assault on its enrichment centers in June.
He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium on home soil that it will always maintain" – the key factor of the stalemate in the previous talks.
Earlier Discussions Unexpectedly Terminated
The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and bitter conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that concluded with the American leader declaring the sites had been destroyed. Subsequently, EU nations used their privilege to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.
Perfect Agreement Offered
Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with American involvement could process nuclear material. 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 decided in the negotiations that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Representatives claimed three times they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the agreement to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Present Status
Iran's diplomats declared the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the offer could be revived in various formats if discussions restart.
The American leader recently stated he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to restart talks, but privately Iran's diplomats say they are not yet getting clear proposals from America either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states dialogue is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Stance
In his address to the gathering, designed to portray the US as a dominant force that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi stated the fortnight-long engagement demonstrated the dispute could not be settled by military means. He asserted the attacks began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making confidence difficult to reestablish.
Dialogue Continues the Final Resolution
Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the European states that had consistently attempted to enforce their will during the discussions. Negotiations can still be alive and continues the ultimate solution to address disagreements, but its standards, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."
"If they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and honor, they will obtain a response in the equivalent tone."
Restoration and Reconstruction
In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and rebuilding, Araghchi claimed he was certain Iran's military capacities "are much stronger than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We learned numerous insights from this engagement; we have discovered our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the enemy."
He stated: "We successfully passed this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to destroy, remains in place. The facilities and equipment, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but were unable to destroy. The Iranian people have become more powerful, more integrated, and more backing of the government and the nation in the face of this assault."