Iran Declares It Could Rejoin US Atomic Discussions if Handled with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Tehran is willing to resume atomic discussions with the United States provided that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.
Abbas Araghchi stated solely negotiations produced results, and revealed fresh requests had originated from go-betweens to restart talks with the American leadership. He asserted Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran had not yet reached a point to allow the global atomic watchdog to inspect bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.
Walking a Complex Route
Araghchi is walking a challenging route since Iran does not want be seen to be operating from a situation of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had arisen more resilient militarily and emotionally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.
He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.
Earlier Negotiations Suddenly Terminated
The earlier sessions of talks between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with the US president asserting the facilities had been destroyed. Subsequently, Western states exercised their right to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Magic Solution Suggested
Iranian officials stated they felt they had achieved a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since local refinement would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.
It had not been decided in the discussions that American atomic experts could function inside Iran, but that was a logical implication of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats asserted repeatedly they had reached agreement with the US representative the American negotiator only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".
Present Situation
Iranian officials said the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems very probable the proposal could be revived in certain ways if talks restart.
The American leader in recent days said he had been receiving messages that Iran sought to resume discussions, but confidentially Iran's diplomats state they are not yet getting clear proposals from the United States either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been charged of non-responsiveness in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts negotiations is not part of a spectacle.
Diplomatic Position
In his speech to the conference, intended to paint the US as a controlling nation that exploits the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the two-week conflict demonstrated the dispute could not be resolved by military means. He said the strikes began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and ended with an unconditional call for a truce.
Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were executed with full US knowledge and collaboration, making confidence challenging to rebuild.
Negotiations Continues the Final Answer
The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently tried to dictate their demands during the talks. Diplomacy can still be active and stays the final solution to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, rules and fundamentals must be respected."
"If they talk to the Iranian people with the tone of dignity and respect, they will receive a reply in the identical language."
Repair and Recovery
In what is portrayed by Tehran representatives as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced 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 discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the enemy."
He stated: "We managed to survive this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to eliminate, stays intact. The installations and equipment, if eliminated, will be restored; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but failed to destroy. The Iranian people have developed more resilient, more cohesive, and more backing of the administration and the nation in the face of this attack."