🔗 Share this article

Tehran is willing to resume atomic talks with the United States as long as it is approached with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has stated.

Abbas Araghchi declared solely negotiations worked, and revealed new appeals had been made by go-betweens to restart discussions with the Trump administration. He said Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect attacked atomic facilities for safety concerns.

Navigating a Complex Path

The foreign minister is walking a challenging path since Iran does not want appear to be operating from a position of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged more resilient in military terms and mentally from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to process nuclear material within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the deadlock in the prior discussions.

Earlier Talks Abruptly Concluded

The prior phases of negotiations between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that concluded with the US president claiming the locations had been eliminated. Subsequently, EU nations exercised their authority to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Offered

Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with US participation could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to declare success since local refinement would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Officials claimed three times they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Existing Situation

Iran's diplomats stated the cooperative arrangement was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be resurrected in some form if negotiations restart.

The US president last week stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to restart talks, but privately Tehran representatives claim they are not yet receiving coherent offers from America either straightforwardly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the wake of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran asserts dialogue is not part of a show.

Political Standpoint

In his address to the forum, intended to paint the US as a dominant force that abuses the idea of international law, Araghchi said the 12-day war showed the clash could not be ended by military means. He stated the assaults began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and culminated with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and coordination, making trust difficult to restore.

Dialogue Continues the Final Solution

The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had fled dialogue; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently sought to enforce their will during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be active and stays the final answer to resolve disagreements, but its requirements, regulations and fundamentals must be followed."

"If they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and respect, they will receive a response in the equivalent tone."

Restoration and Recovery

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the conflict of repair and reconstruction, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We acquired numerous insights from this conflict; we have identified our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the adversary."

He stated: "We successfully passed this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to obliterate, stays intact. The sites and gear, if eliminated, will be restored; what is crucial is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but were unable to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have grown more powerful, more united, and more endorsing of the administration and the state in the wake of this assault."