Tehran Declares It Might Rejoin US Atomic Talks if Handled with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'
Tehran is willing to resume atomic discussions with the United States as long as it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has stated.
Abbas Araghchi stated exclusively dialogue was effective, and revealed recent overtures had originated from intermediaries to reopen talks with the American leadership. He asserted Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to access bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.
Navigating a Difficult Path
Araghchi is walking a difficult course since Iran does not want appear to be acting from a situation of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen more resilient militarily and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.
He was addressing at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium domestically that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the impasse in the prior discussions.
Earlier Negotiations Suddenly Terminated
The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with the American leader declaring the locations had been obliterated. Subsequently, Western states used their authority to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a significant effect.
Magic Solution Suggested
Tehran representatives stated they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have continued and the US could be confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.
It had not been agreed in the talks that US nuclear scientists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed on multiple occasions they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".
Current Position
Iran's diplomats stated the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be revived in certain ways if negotiations restart.
Trump last week claimed he had been getting signals that Iran sought to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet getting coherent offers from America 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 non-responsiveness in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran asserts negotiations is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Stance
In his remarks to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that exploits the idea of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the two-week conflict revealed the conflict could not be resolved by military means. He asserted the attacks commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an absolute demand for a truce.
Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with complete American awareness and coordination, making faith challenging to reestablish.
Diplomacy Continues the Ultimate Resolution
The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had deserted negotiations; it was the United States and the European states that had repeatedly attempted to dictate their demands during the discussions. Negotiations can still be viable and stays the final resolution to address disagreements, but its criteria, rules and tenets must be respected."
"Provided that they talk to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and honor, they will receive a reply in the equivalent approach."
Restoration and Recovery
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of restoration and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was assured Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We learned multiple understandings from this war; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the enemy."
He added: "We effectively endured this war. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to obliterate, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is important is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have developed stronger, more united, and more supportive of the leadership and the state in the aftermath of this assault."