Iran Declares It Might Resume US Atomic Discussions if Handled with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Iran is prepared to restart nuclear talks with the United States on condition that it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has announced.
Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy worked, and revealed new appeals had come from go-betweens to restart discussions with the American leadership. He asserted Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to access attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.
Navigating a Difficult Path
Araghchi is treading a challenging path since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be operating from a position of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful militarily and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.
He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to process nuclear material domestically that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the prior discussions.
Prior Discussions Abruptly Concluded
The earlier sessions of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that concluded with the US president declaring the locations had been eliminated. Following this, European countries exercised their authority to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.
Magic Solution Offered
Iranian officials claimed they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.
It had not been decided in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could function on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Officials stated three times they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the agreement to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Existing Status
Iran's diplomats said the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if talks restart.
Trump last week stated he had been getting signals that Iran desired to restart talks, but in private Tehran representatives claim they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from America either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been criticized of passivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a show.
Negotiating Standpoint
In his remarks to the gathering, aimed to depict the US as a dominant force that exploits the concept of global regulations, Araghchi said the fortnight-long engagement showed the conflict could not be settled by combat operations. He stated the assaults started with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an complete request for a truce.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making trust hard to restore.
Diplomacy Remains the Primary Answer
The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was America and the Western nations that had repeatedly attempted to impose their desires during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be alive and stays the primary solution to settle disputes, but its requirements, guidelines and tenets must be followed."
"In case they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and honor, they will obtain a answer in the same language."
Recovery and Reconstruction
In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the battle of repair and reconstruction, Araghchi stated he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We learned numerous insights from this conflict; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the opponent."
He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to obliterate, stays intact. The sites and gear, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but failed to break. The citizens of Tehran have become stronger, more united, and more backing of the leadership and the nation in the wake of this invasion."