Iran Declares It Could Return to American Atomic Discussions if Treated with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'

Iran is prepared to reinitiate nuclear talks with Washington provided that it is handled with "respect" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has declared.

The Iranian diplomat stated only diplomacy worked, and revealed fresh requests had come from intermediaries to restart negotiations with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Course

Araghchi is walking a complex path since Iran wishes not to be seen to be proceeding from a situation of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more powerful defensively and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will never give up" – the key factor of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Earlier Discussions Suddenly Concluded

The earlier sessions of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a two-week conflict that culminated with the American leader claiming the facilities had been destroyed. Afterward, EU nations employed their right to restore international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Suggested

Iranian officials stated they felt they had attained a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was settled 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 remained and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been decided in the talks that US nuclear scientists could work inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Representatives asserted repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the deal to disintegrate due to "spoilers in Washington".

Present Position

Tehran representatives declared the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be revived in various formats if negotiations restart.

The American leader recently said he had been getting signals that Iran sought to resume discussions, but in private Tehran representatives say they are not yet getting consistent overtures from Washington either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been accused of passivity in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Standpoint

In his speech to the conference, intended to paint the US as a hegemonic power that misuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict showed the clash could not be settled by armed force. He stated the attacks commenced with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were executed with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making confidence hard to restore.

Diplomacy Remains the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had fled dialogue; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently tried to impose their demands during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be active and continues the ultimate resolution to address conflicts, but its criteria, guidelines and principles must be adhered to."

"Provided that they speak to the Iranian people with the approach of respect and honor, they will receive a answer in the identical tone."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the struggle of restoration and recovery, Araghchi said he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We acquired many lessons from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the enemy."

He added: "We managed to survive this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to destroy, continues to exist. The facilities and gear, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the will of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but did not succeed to destroy. The nation of Iran have grown more resilient, more united, and more endorsing of the government and the state in the aftermath of this invasion."