Tehran Declares It Might Resume US Atomic Talks if Treated with 'Respect' and 'Respect'

Tehran is ready to resume nuclear negotiations with Washington provided that it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

The Iranian diplomat said solely negotiations was effective, and disclosed recent overtures had been made by go-betweens to restart negotiations with the US government. He asserted Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Difficult Course

The foreign minister is navigating a difficult path since Iran does not want be seen to be operating from a situation of vulnerability, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger defensively and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the previous talks.

Previous Talks Unexpectedly Ended

The earlier sessions of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that culminated with Donald Trump claiming the facilities had been obliterated. Subsequently, EU nations used their right to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.

Magic Solution Offered

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had reached a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an local partnership with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been decided in the discussions that American atomic experts could work within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Officials stated three times they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the agreement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Current Status

Tehran representatives declared the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be revived in some form if negotiations restart.

The American leader last week said he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to resume discussions, but privately Iran's diplomats say they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from America either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a show.

Political Position

In his speech to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that abuses the notion of international law, the foreign minister said the two-week conflict demonstrated the dispute could not be ended by combat operations. He said the assaults started with a US demand for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is assured the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with complete American awareness and coordination, making trust hard to restore.

Diplomacy Continues the Ultimate Answer

The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had fled negotiations; it was America and the Western nations that had consistently tried to impose their will during the discussions. Negotiations can still be active and remains the ultimate resolution to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, guidelines and tenets must be followed."

"Provided that they speak to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and honor, they will obtain a response in the equivalent tone."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the conflict of recovery and reconstruction, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than before 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We gained many lessons from this conflict; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He continued: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to eliminate, continues to exist. The installations and machinery, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the determination of the nation of Iran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but failed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the leadership and the state in the face of this attack."