Tehran Says It May Rejoin American Atomic Talks if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Respect'

Tehran is willing to restart atomic talks with Washington provided that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy produced results, and revealed fresh requests had been made by go-betweens to resume discussions with the US government. He said Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Iran had not yet reached a point to permit the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Route

The foreign minister is walking a complex route since Iran wishes not to be seen to be operating from a stance of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out more resilient defensively and mentally from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking 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 primary cause of the deadlock in the previous talks.

Previous Discussions Abruptly Terminated

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that concluded with the American leader declaring the facilities had been destroyed. Subsequently, European countries used their privilege to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Proposed

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the nuclear fuel concern in previous talks, when it was agreed an local partnership with US participation could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.

It had not been decided in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could work within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Diplomats stated on multiple occasions they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Existing Status

Tehran representatives declared the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be revived in certain ways if discussions restart.

The American leader last week said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but in private Tehran representatives say they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from America either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran states negotiations is not part of a show.

Diplomatic Position

In his address to the gathering, designed to depict the US as a dominant force that abuses the concept of international law, the foreign minister declared the fortnight-long engagement revealed the conflict could not be settled by combat operations. He asserted the assaults commenced with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an unconditional call for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were mounted with complete American awareness and collaboration, making confidence difficult to restore.

Negotiations Continues the Final Answer

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was the United States and the European states that had always sought to enforce their demands during the talks. Negotiations can still be active and remains the ultimate answer to settle disputes, but its standards, guidelines and fundamentals must be respected."

"In case they speak to the nation of Iran with the tone of dignity and honor, they will get a answer in the equivalent language."

Repair and Recovery

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been rebuilt. We acquired numerous insights from this war; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He added: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The installations and gear, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but failed to break. The nation of Iran have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more supportive of the government and the country in the wake of this assault."

Sara Brown
Sara Brown

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