Tehran Says It May Return to American Atomic Negotiations provided that Treated with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'

Iran is willing to restart atomic talks with Washington provided that it is handled with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has stated.

The Iranian diplomat declared only diplomacy produced results, and revealed new appeals had been made by intermediaries to restart discussions with the US government. He claimed Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the global atomic watchdog to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Complex Path

The foreign minister is navigating a complex path since Iran aims to avoid appear to be acting from a stance of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged more resilient militarily and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Previous Talks Unexpectedly Concluded

The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with Donald Trump claiming the facilities had been destroyed. Subsequently, EU nations used their authority to reinstate international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Suggested

Tehran representatives said they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have continued 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 operate inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Representatives claimed on multiple occasions they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat the US official only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Position

Iran's diplomats declared the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if talks restart.

The US president in recent days claimed he had been getting signals that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but privately Tehran representatives say they are not yet getting clear proposals from Washington either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of passivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran states negotiations is not part of a show.

Political Stance

In his speech to the conference, intended to paint the US as a dominant force that exploits the notion of international law, the foreign minister said the 12-day war demonstrated the dispute could not be ended by military means. He said the strikes commenced with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with full US knowledge and cooperation, making faith challenging to reestablish.

Diplomacy Stays the Ultimate Resolution

Araghchi declared: "It was not Iran that had fled dialogue; it was the United States and the Western nations that had always attempted to dictate their desires during the negotiations. Dialogue can still be alive and remains the ultimate solution to address disputes, but its requirements, guidelines and principles must be adhered to."

"If they speak to the nation of Iran with the language of respect and honor, they will obtain a response in the equivalent tone."

Restoration and Recovery

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the struggle of recovery and rebuilding, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We acquired multiple understandings from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He stated: "We effectively endured this war. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to eliminate, stays intact. The sites and equipment, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to break. The citizens of Tehran have become more powerful, more united, and more endorsing of the leadership and the state in the wake of this invasion."