Iran Declares It Might Rejoin US Nuclear Negotiations if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Iran is ready to resume nuclear negotiations with Washington as long as it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has announced.
Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy was effective, and shared recent overtures had been made by go-betweens to reopen talks with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran could not yet permit the global atomic watchdog to visit bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.
Navigating a Difficult Course
Araghchi is walking a difficult path since Iran does not want be perceived to be acting from a situation of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged more powerful defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.
He was talking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium domestically that it will always maintain" – the key factor of the deadlock in the prior discussions.
Earlier Discussions Abruptly Terminated
The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a two-week conflict that culminated with Donald Trump asserting the facilities had been eliminated. Afterward, EU nations exercised their right to restore international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.
Magic Solution Suggested
Iranian officials stated they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.
It had not been decided in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Representatives asserted repeatedly they had reached agreement with the US representative the US official only for the deal to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Existing Position
Tehran representatives said the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be revived in some form if talks reopen.
Trump last week stated he had been getting signals that Iran sought to reopen negotiations, but in private Iran's diplomats state they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from the United States either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been charged of passivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran states dialogue is not part of a performance.
Diplomatic Position
In his speech to the gathering, aimed to depict the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the idea of international law, Araghchi said the fortnight-long engagement demonstrated the conflict could not be ended by combat operations. He asserted the attacks started with a US demand for an total Iran submission and culminated with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were mounted with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust difficult to restore.
Negotiations Stays the Primary Resolution
The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had consistently tried to impose their desires during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be viable and remains the primary resolution to address disputes, but its criteria, rules and principles must be respected."
"If they speak to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and respect, they will obtain a reply in the same approach."
Restoration and Rebuilding
In what is described by Tehran representatives as the struggle of recovery and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's security strengths "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We acquired numerous insights from this war; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the enemy."
He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to obliterate, continues to exist. The installations and equipment, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is essential 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 developed more powerful, more united, and more endorsing of the leadership and the nation in the face of this attack."