Tehran Declares It May Resume American Atomic Talks if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Respect'

Tehran is willing to restart nuclear talks with Washington as long as it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has announced.

Abbas Araghchi said solely negotiations worked, and revealed recent overtures had originated from intermediaries to reopen negotiations with the Trump administration. He said Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran was not yet able to permit the global atomic watchdog to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Complex Route

Araghchi is treading a complex course since Iran does not want appear to be acting from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out stronger defensively and mentally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the impasse in the previous talks.

Earlier Talks Suddenly Terminated

The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile termination on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with Donald Trump claiming the facilities had been obliterated. Following this, EU nations employed their authority to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Proposed

Iranian officials said they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been agreed in the talks that American atomic experts could function on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Representatives stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat the US official only for the arrangement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Present Status

Iranian officials said the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the offer could be revived in certain ways if talks resume.

Trump recently stated he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to restart talks, but confidentially Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet getting clear proposals from Washington either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of non-responsiveness in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran states diplomacy is not part of a show.

Negotiating Position

In his remarks to the gathering, aimed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the idea of international law, Araghchi said the 12-day war demonstrated the conflict could not be settled by combat operations. He said the attacks commenced with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and ended with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with complete American awareness and coordination, making trust challenging to reestablish.

Diplomacy Remains the Primary Resolution

The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had deserted negotiations; it was America and the European states that had always sought to enforce their demands during the talks. Dialogue can still be alive and continues the final solution to address disagreements, but its requirements, regulations and fundamentals must be respected."

"In case they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of dignity and honor, they will obtain a response in the same tone."

Restoration and Rebuilding

In what is described by Iranian officials as the conflict of recovery and rebuilding, Araghchi stated he was confident Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We acquired many lessons from this engagement; we have identified our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the adversary."

He continued: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The sites and machinery, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is essential is the will of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but did not succeed to break. The citizens of Tehran have become more resilient, more united, and more supportive of the government and the nation in the face of this assault."