Iran Says It May Return to US Nuclear Talks if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is willing to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with the United States as long as it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.
Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue was effective, and disclosed new appeals had been made by go-betweens to restart talks with the American leadership. He asserted Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit attacked atomic facilities for safety concerns.
Navigating a Difficult Route
Araghchi is treading a challenging path since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be acting from a position of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged more resilient defensively and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.
He was addressing at a defense forum in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will never give up" â the main reason of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.
Previous Negotiations Abruptly Ended
The prior phases of negotiations between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with the American leader claiming the sites had been eliminated. Subsequently, European countries exercised their authority to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.
Magic Solution Proposed
Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been settled in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could function on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the deal to fall apart due to "detractors in America".
Present Status
Iranian officials said the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be revived in some form if talks reopen.
Trump in recent days claimed he had been getting signals that Iran sought to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Iran's diplomats say they are not yet getting coherent offers from Washington either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been accused of passivity in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a show.
Political Position
In his speech to the gathering, intended to portray the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the concept of international law, Araghchi stated the fortnight-long engagement revealed the conflict could not be ended by combat operations. He said the strikes began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and culminated with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust challenging to rebuild.
Dialogue Remains the Primary Solution
The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the western countries that had always sought to impose their will during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be viable and stays the final solution to settle disagreements, but its criteria, rules and tenets must be adhered to."
"In case they talk to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and honor, they will get a answer in the identical approach."
Repair and Rebuilding
In what is described by Tehran representatives as the conflict of recovery and rebuilding, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's military capacities "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We gained numerous insights from this war; we have come to know our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the enemy."
He added: "We managed to survive this war. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to destroy, remains in place. The installations and equipment, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but failed to break. The Iranian people have grown more powerful, more cohesive, and more backing of the leadership and the country in the aftermath of this invasion."