Iran States It Could Return to American Atomic Negotiations if Handled with 'Respect' and 'Respect'
Iran is ready to restart nuclear talks with the United States on condition that it is treated with "respect" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has announced.
Abbas Araghchi said exclusively dialogue produced results, and disclosed new appeals had come from go-betweens to restart negotiations with the American leadership. He said Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran could not yet authorize the global atomic watchdog to access struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.
Walking a Challenging Path
The foreign minister is walking a difficult path since Iran wishes not to be seen to be operating from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger in military terms and psychologically from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.
He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the previous talks.
Earlier Discussions Abruptly Terminated
The previous five rounds of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with the US president asserting the locations had been obliterated. Following this, European countries used their authority to restore international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.
Perfect Agreement Offered
Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was settled an local partnership with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been decided in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Representatives asserted repeatedly they had achieved a deal with the US representative the US official only for the deal to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".
Present Position
Iran's diplomats stated the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be revived in various formats if talks reopen.
Trump in recent days claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials say they are not yet receiving clear proposals from America either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been criticized of inactivity in the wake of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran asserts dialogue is not part of a spectacle.
Political Stance
In his address to the forum, intended to paint the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the concept of international law, Araghchi said the two-week conflict revealed the dispute could not be settled by armed force. He stated the strikes commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and ended with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were executed with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making trust hard to rebuild.
Negotiations Stays the Final Answer
The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was the United States and the European states that had consistently tried to dictate their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and continues the primary resolution to settle disagreements, but its requirements, rules and fundamentals must be adhered to."
"If they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and respect, they will receive a response in the identical tone."
Restoration and Rebuilding
In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the struggle of recovery and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was assured Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been restored. We gained multiple understandings from this engagement; we have identified our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the opponent."
He continued: "We successfully passed this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to eliminate, continues to exist. The installations and gear, if damaged, will be restored; what is important is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but were unable to destroy. The nation of Iran have grown more powerful, more united, and more endorsing of the administration and the nation in the aftermath of this assault."