🔗 Share this article

Iran is prepared to restart nuclear discussions with the United States as long as it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat stated exclusively dialogue produced results, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from go-betweens to restart discussions with the US government. He asserted Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran could not yet authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.

Walking a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is walking a difficult route since Iran wishes not to be seen to be acting from a stance of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged stronger militarily and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a security conference 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 main reason of the deadlock in the prior discussions.

Previous Talks Abruptly Ended

The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with the American leader asserting the sites had been obliterated. Subsequently, European countries employed their right to restore global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.

Perfect Agreement Offered

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have persisted and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could work on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Diplomats asserted repeatedly they had secured an understanding with the US representative the US official only for the deal to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Current Position

Iran's diplomats declared the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if negotiations resume.

Trump in recent days claimed he had been getting signals that Iran sought to restart talks, but privately Iranian officials claim they are not yet getting coherent offers from Washington either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been charged of passivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran says negotiations is not part of a performance.

Diplomatic Position

In his remarks to the conference, aimed to portray the US as a dominant force that abuses the idea of international law, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict showed the clash could not be resolved by military means. He asserted the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with full US knowledge and cooperation, making trust difficult to rebuild.

Diplomacy Stays the Ultimate Answer

The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had always attempted to impose their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and continues the primary solution to settle disputes, but its requirements, rules and tenets must be adhered to."

"Provided that they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and respect, they will get a response in the identical tone."

Recovery and Recovery

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the struggle of recovery 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 learned multiple understandings from this conflict; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He continued: "We effectively endured this war. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, stays intact. The facilities and equipment, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is important is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but did not succeed to destroy. The Iranian people have grown more resilient, more united, and more supportive of the administration and the nation in the aftermath of this invasion."