🔗 Share this article

Tehran is ready to resume atomic talks with the United States provided that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.

Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy produced results, and shared fresh requests had been made by mediators to resume discussions with the American leadership. He said Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran was not yet able to authorize the global atomic watchdog to visit struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.

Navigating a Difficult Course

Araghchi is navigating a complex path since Iran does not want be perceived to be proceeding from a position of vulnerability, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out more resilient militarily and mentally from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.

Prior Negotiations Suddenly Ended

The previous five rounds of talks between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with the American leader asserting the sites had been eliminated. Afterward, European countries used their right to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a significant effect.

Magic Solution Proposed

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could operate inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Representatives stated repeatedly they had achieved a deal with the US representative the US official only for the deal to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".

Current Situation

Iranian officials stated the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if discussions resume.

Trump in recent days said he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving clear proposals from America either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of inactivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran says negotiations is not part of a performance.

Diplomatic Position

In his speech to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that abuses the concept of international law, Araghchi said the fortnight-long engagement revealed the dispute could not be settled by armed force. He stated the assaults began with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were mounted with complete American awareness and cooperation, making confidence difficult to reestablish.

Negotiations Continues the Final Answer

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had fled diplomacy; it was the United States and the western countries that had repeatedly tried to impose their demands during the discussions. Negotiations can still be active and stays the ultimate solution to settle disputes, but its criteria, regulations and principles must be followed."

"In case they address to the nation of Iran with the tone of dignity and respect, they will obtain a response in the identical approach."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of recovery and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We learned many lessons from this war; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the adversary."

He continued: "We effectively endured this war. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to obliterate, stays intact. The installations and equipment, if destroyed, will be restored; what is essential is the determination of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but did not succeed to break. The citizens of Tehran have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more backing of the government and the nation in the wake of this assault."