Iran States It May Rejoin US Atomic Talks if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Iran is ready to restart nuclear talks with Washington on condition that it is approached with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.
Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy worked, and disclosed fresh requests had originated from mediators to restart talks with the American leadership. He claimed Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran could not yet authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to access struck enrichment centers for protective measures.
Navigating a Difficult Path
The foreign minister is walking a challenging route since Iran does not want appear to be proceeding from a stance of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more resilient defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.
He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the previous talks.
Prior Talks Unexpectedly Terminated
The previous five rounds of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with Donald Trump asserting the locations had been destroyed. Following this, European countries exercised their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a significant effect.
Magic Solution Offered
Tehran representatives stated they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been decided in the negotiations that American atomic experts could work within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Representatives claimed three times they had achieved a deal with the US representative the American negotiator only for the agreement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".
Present Position
Iranian officials declared the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the offer could be resurrected in some form if negotiations resume.
Trump last week claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to restart talks, but in private Tehran representatives say they are not yet receiving coherent offers from the United States either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of passivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran states diplomacy is not part of a spectacle.
Diplomatic Stance
In his remarks to the forum, aimed to depict the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the idea of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the 12-day war demonstrated the conflict could not be ended by military means. He asserted the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.
Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were mounted with total Washington understanding and coordination, making faith difficult to reestablish.
Dialogue Continues the Primary Solution
Araghchi declared: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned diplomacy; it was the United States and the European states that had always tried to impose their will during the talks. Negotiations can still be active and stays the primary resolution to address disputes, but its standards, regulations and principles must be followed."
"Provided that they address to the nation of Iran with the language of dignity and respect, they will obtain a reply in the identical approach."
Restoration and Rebuilding
In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of repair and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We learned many lessons from this engagement; we have identified our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the enemy."
He stated: "We effectively endured this war. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to obliterate, remains in place. The installations and machinery, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the unity of the country that they aimed at, but did not succeed to destroy. The Iranian people have developed more powerful, more united, and more backing of the leadership and the nation in the wake of this attack."