Tehran States It Might Return to US Nuclear Negotiations provided that Approached with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is prepared to resume nuclear discussions with the United States provided that it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.
The Iranian diplomat said solely negotiations worked, and disclosed new appeals had been made by mediators to resume negotiations with the American leadership. He claimed Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Iran could not yet permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit struck enrichment centers for security reasons.
Navigating a Complex Path
The foreign minister is walking a challenging course since Iran does not want be perceived to be proceeding from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged more resilient defensively and psychologically from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.
He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.
Prior Discussions Abruptly Terminated
The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile termination on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a two-week conflict that concluded with the US president declaring the sites had been obliterated. Following this, Western states employed their privilege to restore global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Magic Solution Proposed
Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with US participation could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.
It had not been agreed in the negotiations that American atomic experts could work inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats claimed 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".
Present Position
Tehran representatives declared the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be reintroduced in various formats if negotiations restart.
Trump in recent days stated he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but privately Tehran representatives state they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from the United States either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of passivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran asserts dialogue is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Position
In his address to the gathering, designed to depict the US as a controlling nation that misuses the idea of international law, the foreign minister said the 12-day war revealed the conflict could not be ended by military means. He said the attacks started with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with full US knowledge and coordination, making faith difficult to restore.
Negotiations Continues the Ultimate Resolution
Araghchi declared: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned diplomacy; it was America and the European states that had consistently tried to impose their desires during the discussions. Negotiations can still be active and continues the primary solution to address disputes, but its requirements, rules and fundamentals must be followed."
"Provided that they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and respect, they will obtain a reply in the identical language."
Restoration and Recovery
In what is characterized by Tehran representatives as the conflict of restoration and rebuilding, Araghchi stated 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 rebuilt. We acquired multiple understandings from this war; we have discovered our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the enemy."
He continued: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to eliminate, stays intact. The facilities and equipment, if destroyed, will be restored; what is essential is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but failed to break. The Iranian people have grown more powerful, more cohesive, and more supportive of the administration and the nation in the wake of this assault."