Iran Declares It May Rejoin US Nuclear Talks if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Respect'
Iran is ready to resume atomic discussions with Washington on condition that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has announced.
Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue was effective, and revealed new appeals had come from intermediaries to restart talks with the US government. He asserted Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the global atomic watchdog to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.
Walking a Challenging Course
The foreign minister is navigating a difficult path since Iran wishes not to be seen to be proceeding from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged stronger in military terms and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.
He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium within its borders that it will never give up" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the previous talks.
Earlier Discussions Suddenly Concluded
The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, targeted Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that culminated with the American leader asserting the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations employed their privilege to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.
Perfect Agreement Proposed
Tehran representatives said they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an local partnership with American involvement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been agreed in the negotiations that American atomic experts could work inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Diplomats stated on multiple occasions they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to collapse due to "opponents in the US".
Existing Position
Iran's diplomats declared the cooperative arrangement was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the offer could be reintroduced in some form if talks resume.
The US president in recent days stated he had been getting signals that Iran desired to resume discussions, but confidentially Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from America either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of passivity in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran states negotiations is not part of a performance.
Political Stance
In his speech to the conference, intended to depict the US as a controlling nation that abuses the concept of global regulations, Araghchi declared the fortnight-long engagement revealed the dispute could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the strikes started with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is convinced the first strikes by Israel were mounted with full US knowledge and cooperation, making trust hard to rebuild.
Negotiations Stays the Final Answer
The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had deserted diplomacy; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently tried to dictate their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and remains the primary solution to address disputes, but its standards, regulations and principles must be followed."
"In case they address to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and respect, they will get a reply in the same approach."
Repair and Recovery
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the battle of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister said he was certain Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We gained numerous insights from this conflict; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."
He added: "We successfully passed this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to shatter. The Iranian people have grown more powerful, more united, and more backing of the administration and the state in the wake of this attack."