Tehran Declares It May Resume US Nuclear Negotiations provided that Handled with 'Respect' and 'Honor'
Tehran is prepared to resume nuclear talks with Washington as long as it is treated with "respect" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has announced.
Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy was effective, and disclosed new appeals had originated from intermediaries to resume negotiations with the US government. He asserted Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Tehran could not yet permit the global atomic watchdog to access bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.
Walking a Challenging Route
Araghchi is navigating a challenging route since Iran does not want be perceived to be acting from a position of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful in military terms and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.
He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to process nuclear material on home soil that it will never give up" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the prior discussions.
Previous Talks Unexpectedly Terminated
The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with the American leader declaring the locations had been eliminated. Afterward, Western states employed their privilege to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Perfect Agreement Proposed
Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with US participation could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.
It had not been settled in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Officials asserted three times they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat the US official only for the agreement to disintegrate due to "spoilers in Washington".
Current Status
Iran's diplomats stated the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if discussions reopen.
The American leader last week claimed he had been getting signals that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but privately Tehran representatives claim they are not yet getting consistent overtures from the United States either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of non-responsiveness in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran says diplomacy is not part of a show.
Political Position
In his remarks to the gathering, designed to portray the US as a dominant force that misuses the notion of international law, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict demonstrated the conflict could not be resolved by combat operations. He said the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an complete request for a ceasefire.
Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with complete American awareness and cooperation, making confidence challenging to reestablish.
Negotiations Remains the Final Solution
Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned diplomacy; it was the United States and the western countries that had consistently attempted to impose their demands during the talks. Negotiations can still be viable and stays the final answer to address conflicts, but its standards, rules and fundamentals must be adhered to."
"In case they address to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of dignity and honor, they will obtain a response in the same language."
Restoration and Reconstruction
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and rebuilding, the foreign minister claimed he was assured Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We gained many lessons from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."
He stated: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to destroy, stays intact. The installations and machinery, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to break. The nation of Iran have become stronger, more united, and more backing of the administration and the country in the wake of this assault."