🔗 Share this article

Tehran is prepared to resume atomic discussions with the United States provided that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue worked, and disclosed fresh requests had originated from intermediaries to resume discussions with the American leadership. He asserted Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet permit the global atomic watchdog to visit bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Challenging Route

Araghchi is treading a challenging route since Iran aims to avoid appear to be operating from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out stronger defensively and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to process nuclear material domestically that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the previous talks.

Earlier Discussions Abruptly Ended

The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that culminated with Donald Trump asserting the locations had been destroyed. Afterward, Western states exercised their authority to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Ideal Resolution Suggested

Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with US participation could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Diplomats stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "opponents in the US".

Current Status

Tehran representatives declared the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be revived in some form if discussions resume.

Trump last week stated he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Tehran representatives claim they are not yet receiving coherent offers from America either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of passivity in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts negotiations is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Standpoint

In his remarks to the conference, intended to depict the US as a controlling nation that misuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the fortnight-long engagement showed the conflict could not be ended by armed force. He said the assaults commenced with a US demand for an total Iran submission and ended with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust difficult to reestablish.

Negotiations Stays the Final Answer

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was the United States and the western countries that had repeatedly attempted to dictate their will during the negotiations. Dialogue can still be alive and remains the final resolution to address disputes, but its criteria, guidelines and fundamentals must be adhered to."

"If they talk to the nation of Iran with the language of dignity and respect, they will obtain a response in the same language."

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of restoration and rebuilding, Araghchi said he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We acquired many lessons from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He continued: "We effectively endured this war. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, continues to exist. The sites and gear, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is essential is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but were unable to break. The Iranian people have grown more resilient, more integrated, and more supportive of the administration and the state in the aftermath of this invasion."