Tehran Says It Could Rejoin US Nuclear Discussions if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Iran is ready to reinitiate atomic discussions with Washington as long as it is treated with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.
The Iranian diplomat stated only diplomacy produced results, and shared fresh requests had come from mediators to restart negotiations with the US government. He asserted Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Iran was not yet able to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit attacked atomic facilities for safety concerns.
Walking a Challenging Path
Araghchi is treading a challenging route since Iran does not want be seen to be acting from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out stronger in military terms and mentally from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.
He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the impasse in the prior discussions.
Earlier Discussions Abruptly Ended
The prior phases of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that concluded with the American leader declaring the sites had been obliterated. Following this, EU nations exercised their authority to restore international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a significant effect.
Ideal Resolution Proposed
Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was settled an local partnership with American involvement could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.
It had not been agreed in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Representatives stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".
Present Position
Iranian officials stated the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be resurrected in some form if negotiations reopen.
The US president recently claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Iran's diplomats say they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from Washington either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been charged of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran says dialogue is not part of a performance.
Diplomatic Position
In his speech to the conference, aimed to depict the US as a dominant force that misuses the concept of global regulations, the foreign minister declared the 12-day war demonstrated the conflict could not be settled by armed force. He said the strikes started with a American requirement for an total Iran submission and concluded with an complete request for a ceasefire.
Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust hard to reestablish.
Negotiations Continues the Ultimate Solution
Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had fled dialogue; it was America and the western countries that had repeatedly attempted to impose their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be active and continues the primary answer to address disagreements, but its standards, regulations and principles must be followed."
"Provided that they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of dignity and respect, they will receive a reply in the same language."
Restoration and Reconstruction
In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the battle of recovery and rebuilding, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been restored. We learned many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the adversary."
He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to obliterate, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but were unable to destroy. The Iranian people have developed more powerful, more united, and more endorsing of the administration and the country in the aftermath of this attack."