Tehran Declares It Could Return to US Nuclear Discussions if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Tehran is ready to resume nuclear talks with the United States on condition that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.
Abbas Araghchi stated solely negotiations worked, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from intermediaries to resume discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.
Walking a Difficult Route
Araghchi is navigating a difficult path since Iran does not want be seen to be proceeding from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged more powerful defensively and emotionally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.
He was addressing at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to process nuclear material within its borders that it will always maintain" β the primary cause of the deadlock in the previous talks.
Previous Discussions Unexpectedly Terminated
The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that concluded with the US president declaring the sites had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations exercised their authority to restore international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.
Magic Solution Proposed
Tehran representatives stated they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with US participation could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been agreed in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could function within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the deal to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".
Present Situation
Tehran representatives said the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if talks resume.
The US president last week said he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials say they are not yet receiving coherent offers from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of passivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts dialogue is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Stance
In his address to the conference, intended to paint the US as a dominant force that abuses the notion of worldwide standards, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict revealed the conflict could not be ended by military means. He stated the attacks commenced with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an unconditional call for a truce.
Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were executed with total Washington understanding and coordination, making confidence challenging to restore.
Diplomacy Stays the Primary Solution
The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had fled diplomacy; it was the United States and the western countries that had consistently tried to impose their demands during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be active and continues the primary solution to settle conflicts, but its requirements, guidelines and fundamentals must be adhered to."
"In case they address to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and respect, they will receive a response in the equivalent approach."
Recovery and Recovery
In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the battle of repair and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was certain Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We learned many lessons from this conflict; we have discovered our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."
He continued: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to eliminate, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but failed to destroy. The nation of Iran have grown stronger, more integrated, and more endorsing of the government and the country in the aftermath of this attack."