🔗 Share this article

Iran is ready to restart nuclear discussions with Washington on condition that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat said only diplomacy worked, and shared new appeals had come from mediators to reopen talks with the US government. He said Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran was not yet able to permit the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect struck enrichment centers for security reasons.

Navigating a Difficult Course

Araghchi is navigating a difficult route since Iran does not want be seen to be acting from a stance of vulnerability, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger defensively and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the prior discussions.

Earlier Talks Unexpectedly Terminated

The earlier sessions of talks between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and bitter conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that concluded with the American leader asserting the facilities had been destroyed. Subsequently, EU nations used their authority to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Ideal Resolution Proposed

Iranian officials stated they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with US participation could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been agreed in the talks that American atomic experts could function inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Representatives claimed repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Present Position

Tehran representatives stated the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be reintroduced in certain ways if negotiations resume.

The American leader last week claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but privately Iranian officials state they are not yet getting clear proposals from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been charged of inactivity 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 conference, intended to paint the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister stated the 12-day war showed the conflict could not be resolved by military means. He said the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were executed with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making faith difficult to reestablish.

Negotiations Continues the Primary Solution

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently sought to impose their demands during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be alive and remains the final answer to settle disagreements, but its criteria, guidelines and principles must be respected."

"Provided that they speak to the nation of Iran with the tone of respect and honor, they will obtain a answer in the equivalent tone."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the battle of repair and rebuilding, Araghchi stated he was confident Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We learned many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the shortcomings of the enemy."

He stated: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to obliterate, continues to exist. The sites and equipment, if destroyed, will be restored; what is essential is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but were unable to break. The Iranian people have grown more powerful, more integrated, and more supportive of the government and the country in the face of this attack."