Iran States It May Rejoin American Nuclear Talks if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is prepared to resume nuclear talks with the United States as long as it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.
The Iranian diplomat stated exclusively dialogue worked, and revealed fresh requests had come from mediators to reopen discussions with the American leadership. He said Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.
Navigating a Complex Route
The foreign minister is walking a challenging route since Iran aims to avoid be perceived to be operating from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out more powerful in military terms and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.
He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the prior discussions.
Previous Negotiations Unexpectedly Concluded
The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that concluded with Donald Trump declaring the facilities had been destroyed. Subsequently, Western states used their right to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.
Magic Solution Proposed
Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had reached a "ideal resolution" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.
It had not been decided in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the partnership suggestion. Officials asserted repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".
Current Status
Tehran representatives stated the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the offer could be reintroduced in certain ways if talks restart.
The American leader last week stated he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but confidentially Tehran representatives claim they are not yet getting consistent overtures from Washington either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a show.
Political Standpoint
In his remarks to the gathering, aimed to depict the US as a controlling nation that abuses the notion of worldwide standards, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict revealed the clash could not be resolved by combat operations. He stated the attacks began with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an unconditional call for a truce.
Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were executed with total Washington understanding and coordination, making faith hard to restore.
Negotiations Remains the Primary Resolution
The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted diplomacy; it was the United States and the western countries that had always tried to dictate their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be viable and continues the final answer to address conflicts, but its requirements, guidelines and tenets must be adhered to."
"If they talk to the Iranian people with the approach of respect and honor, they will obtain a reply in the same approach."
Recovery and Reconstruction
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister said he was certain Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We acquired many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."
He added: "We successfully passed this war. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to obliterate, stays intact. The installations and equipment, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but were unable to break. The nation of Iran have developed more powerful, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the leadership and the country in the face of this invasion."