Tehran Says It Might Rejoin US Atomic Talks provided that Approached with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is willing to reinitiate atomic negotiations with the United States provided that it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has announced.
Abbas Araghchi declared solely negotiations worked, and disclosed recent overtures had come from intermediaries to restart negotiations with the US government. He asserted Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to permit the global atomic watchdog to inspect struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.
Navigating a Difficult Route
Araghchi is treading a difficult course since Iran does not want be perceived to be proceeding from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had emerged more resilient militarily and psychologically from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.
He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to enrich uranium domestically that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the prior discussions.
Earlier Talks Abruptly Terminated
The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that ended with the US president declaring the sites had been obliterated. Subsequently, Western states employed their privilege to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a substantial consequence.
Magic Solution Suggested
Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been agreed in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could operate inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Diplomats asserted on multiple occasions they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the deal to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Current Situation
Iran's diplomats said the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the offer could be reintroduced in some form if discussions restart.
The American leader in recent days stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but privately Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from Washington either straightforwardly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been criticized of inactivity in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran says negotiations is not part of a spectacle.
Diplomatic Standpoint
In his speech to the conference, aimed to depict the US as a hegemonic power that misuses the concept of global regulations, Araghchi declared the 12-day war showed the dispute could not be ended by armed force. He said the assaults began with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an unconditional call for a truce.
Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with full US knowledge and coordination, making faith hard to reestablish.
Diplomacy Continues the Final Resolution
The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had always attempted to enforce their will during the talks. Dialogue can still be active and continues the final solution to address disputes, but its requirements, guidelines and fundamentals must be followed."
"Provided that they speak to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and respect, they will receive a answer in the same language."
Restoration and Reconstruction
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was confident Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We learned multiple understandings from this engagement; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the shortcomings of the adversary."
He stated: "We managed to survive this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, continues to exist. The sites and equipment, if damaged, will be restored; what is crucial is the determination of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but did not succeed to shatter. The Iranian people have developed more powerful, more cohesive, and more backing of the leadership and the nation in the aftermath of this assault."