Tehran Says It Could Return to American Atomic Negotiations provided that Treated with 'Respect' and 'Respect'
Tehran is prepared to resume atomic negotiations with the United States on condition that it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has stated.
The Iranian diplomat declared solely negotiations produced results, and revealed new appeals had come from mediators to restart talks with the US government. He claimed Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran was not yet able to authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.
Navigating a Challenging Course
Araghchi is treading a difficult course since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be acting from a situation of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out stronger militarily and emotionally from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.
He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the main reason of the impasse in the previous talks.
Earlier Discussions Abruptly Ended
The prior phases of negotiations between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that concluded with the US president asserting the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, Western states used their authority to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Perfect Agreement Offered
Iranian officials said they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have continued and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.
It had not been settled in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could work on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats claimed on multiple occasions they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the agreement to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".
Existing Position
Tehran representatives declared the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be reintroduced in some form if talks resume.
The US president recently said he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but in private Iranian officials claim they are not yet receiving coherent offers from the United States either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of non-responsiveness in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran states diplomacy is not part of a show.
Negotiating Standpoint
In his address to the conference, designed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the concept of global regulations, Araghchi declared the fortnight-long engagement demonstrated the conflict could not be settled by combat operations. He stated the attacks commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and concluded with an complete request for a ceasefire.
Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were executed with total Washington understanding and coordination, making trust hard to reestablish.
Negotiations Stays the Final Answer
The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had deserted diplomacy; it was America and the western countries that had always tried to enforce their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be active and stays the ultimate resolution to address conflicts, but its requirements, regulations and fundamentals must be respected."
"If they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of dignity and honor, they will obtain a reply in the equivalent language."
Recovery and Rebuilding
In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, Araghchi stated he was assured Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We gained multiple understandings from this war; we have identified our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."
He stated: "We successfully passed this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and equipment, if eliminated, will be restored; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but were unable to break. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more integrated, and more endorsing of the leadership and the state in the wake of this assault."