Iran Declares It May Rejoin US Nuclear Discussions provided that Treated with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'
Tehran is prepared to reinitiate atomic negotiations with the United States on condition that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has stated.
The Iranian diplomat said only diplomacy worked, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from mediators to resume discussions with the American leadership. He claimed Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran could not yet allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to access attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.
Navigating a Complex Route
The foreign minister is walking a difficult path since Iran does not want be perceived to be operating from a stance of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out more powerful defensively and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.
He was addressing at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material on home soil that it will always maintain" – the key factor of the deadlock in the prior discussions.
Earlier Discussions Unexpectedly Ended
The previous five rounds of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that ended with Donald Trump asserting the facilities had been destroyed. Following this, Western states exercised their authority to restore global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.
Ideal Resolution Proposed
Tehran representatives said they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with US participation could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been decided in the talks that American atomic experts could work on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Diplomats asserted three times they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".
Current Status
Iranian officials said the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be revived in certain ways if negotiations resume.
The American leader last week stated he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but in private Tehran representatives claim they are not yet getting consistent overtures from the United States either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of non-responsiveness in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states dialogue is not part of a performance.
Political Standpoint
In his address to the gathering, designed to portray the US as a controlling nation that abuses the notion of international law, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict demonstrated the clash could not be resolved by military means. He said the attacks started with a American requirement for an total Iran submission and culminated with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.
Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making faith hard to restore.
Dialogue Remains the Final Solution
Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the western countries that had always sought to dictate their desires during the talks. Dialogue can still be alive and stays the primary resolution to resolve conflicts, but its requirements, regulations and principles must be adhered to."
"Provided that they speak to the Iranian people with the approach of respect and respect, they will obtain a answer in the same language."
Restoration and Recovery
In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the conflict of repair and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than before 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We learned numerous insights from this war; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."
He continued: "We managed to survive this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to obliterate, remains in place. The installations and gear, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is essential is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have developed more powerful, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the leadership and the country in the wake of this invasion."