Iran Says It Might Return to American Nuclear Negotiations if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Tehran is ready to restart nuclear talks with the United States provided that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has announced.
The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue produced results, and disclosed fresh requests had been made by go-betweens to reopen negotiations with the American leadership. He asserted Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to access struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.
Walking a Complex Path
Araghchi is treading a difficult route since Iran wishes not to be seen to be acting from a situation of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out stronger defensively and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.
He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the main reason of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.
Prior Talks Abruptly Concluded
The previous five rounds of talks between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that culminated with the US president declaring the sites had been destroyed. Subsequently, European countries employed their authority to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.
Magic Solution Offered
Tehran representatives stated they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in previous talks, when it was decided an local partnership with US participation could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been settled in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could function on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Representatives stated three times they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".
Current Position
Iranian officials stated the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if discussions resume.
The US president last week said he had been getting signals that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from Washington either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been charged of inactivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.
Political Standpoint
In his speech to the conference, aimed to depict the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the 12-day war demonstrated the dispute could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the attacks commenced with a American requirement for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were executed with complete American awareness and cooperation, making confidence difficult to reestablish.
Diplomacy Continues the Ultimate Solution
Araghchi stated: "It was not Iran that had deserted diplomacy; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently sought to dictate their will during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be viable and continues the primary resolution to resolve disputes, but its requirements, regulations and principles must be respected."
"In case they talk to the nation of Iran with the tone of respect and honor, they will get a response in the equivalent tone."
Recovery and Reconstruction
In what is described by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and rebuilding, Araghchi stated he was confident Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We learned numerous insights from this engagement; we have identified our own weaknesses and the shortcomings of the adversary."
He stated: "We successfully passed this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to eliminate, stays intact. The sites and machinery, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the will of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to shatter. The Iranian people have become stronger, more integrated, and more supportive of the leadership and the country in the wake of this assault."