🔗 Share this article

Iran is willing to restart nuclear discussions with Washington provided that it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has stated.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy produced results, and disclosed recent overtures had come from mediators to resume talks with the American leadership. He asserted Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran had not yet reached a point to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect struck enrichment centers for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Path

Araghchi is walking a complex path since Iran wishes not to be seen to be acting from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged more resilient in military terms and emotionally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material domestically that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the impasse in the previous talks.

Previous Negotiations Abruptly Terminated

The previous five rounds of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that ended with the American leader asserting the sites had been obliterated. Subsequently, EU nations exercised their right to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran maintains they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Proposed

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had reached a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was decided an local partnership with US participation could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that American atomic experts could function within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".

Current Situation

Iranian officials said the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be resurrected in various formats if talks resume.

The American leader in recent days claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but privately Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of passivity in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran says negotiations is not part of a spectacle.

Political Stance

In his remarks to the forum, intended to portray the US as a controlling nation that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi said the two-week conflict revealed the conflict could not be settled by armed force. He stated the attacks started with a US demand for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with complete American awareness and coordination, making trust difficult to reestablish.

Dialogue Stays the Ultimate Answer

The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had fled negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had consistently attempted to enforce their demands during the discussions. Negotiations can still be alive and continues the primary solution to resolve conflicts, but its criteria, rules and tenets must be followed."

"In case they address to the nation of Iran with the language of respect and honor, they will get a response in the identical approach."

Restoration and Recovery

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the struggle of recovery and rebuilding, 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 restored. We acquired numerous insights from this engagement; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the enemy."

He added: "We successfully passed this war. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to eliminate, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the determination of the nation of Iran and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the government and the nation in the aftermath of this attack."