Tehran States It Could Rejoin US Atomic Talks provided that Handled with 'Respect' and 'Respect'
Iran is ready to restart atomic talks with the United States on condition that it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.
The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue was effective, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from mediators to reopen discussions with the US government. He said Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to access bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.
Walking a Challenging Path
The foreign minister is walking a difficult route since Iran wishes not to appear to be operating from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged stronger in military terms and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.
He was addressing 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 never give up" – the key factor of the deadlock in the previous talks.
Prior Talks Suddenly Concluded
The earlier sessions of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with the American leader asserting the facilities had been eliminated. Following this, EU nations used their privilege to restore global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.
Magic Solution Proposed
Tehran representatives said they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with US participation could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been agreed in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could work within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats asserted repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".
Existing Position
Iran's diplomats stated the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be reintroduced in certain ways if discussions resume.
The US president last week claimed he had been getting signals that Iran sought to resume discussions, but in private Tehran representatives claim they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from Washington either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of inactivity in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.
Diplomatic Position
In his remarks to the conference, designed to paint the US as a controlling nation that abuses the notion of international law, Araghchi said the 12-day war demonstrated the conflict could not be resolved by combat operations. He stated the assaults started with a US demand for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.
Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were carried out with full US knowledge and cooperation, making trust hard to reestablish.
Dialogue Stays the Final Answer
Araghchi declared: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was America and the European states that had always sought to enforce their demands during the negotiations. Dialogue can still be viable and stays the final answer to settle disputes, but its criteria, rules and principles must be followed."
"If they talk to the nation of Iran with the language of dignity and honor, they will obtain a reply in the identical language."
Repair and Rebuilding
In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the conflict of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister said he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are much stronger than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We gained many lessons from this conflict; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the opponent."
He continued: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, stays intact. The installations and gear, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but were unable to destroy. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the government and the nation in the face of this attack."