Iran States It Could Rejoin American Atomic Talks if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'
Tehran is willing to restart atomic negotiations with the United States provided that it is approached with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has announced.
The Iranian diplomat said only diplomacy worked, and revealed recent overtures had been made by go-betweens to resume negotiations with the US government. He claimed Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Iran was not yet able to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.
Navigating a Challenging Course
The foreign minister is navigating a complex course since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be acting from a stance of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out more resilient defensively and mentally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.
He was talking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to process nuclear material domestically that it will never give up" – the key factor of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.
Prior Negotiations Suddenly Concluded
The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that ended with the US president declaring the facilities had been eliminated. Afterward, Western states exercised their authority to reinstate international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.
Magic Solution Suggested
Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an local partnership with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.
It had not been settled in the talks that US nuclear scientists could work within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats claimed three times they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".
Present Position
Iranian officials declared the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be revived in various formats if negotiations resume.
Trump in recent days stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but privately Tehran representatives say they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from America either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states dialogue is not part of a show.
Diplomatic Position
In his address to the conference, aimed to portray the US as a dominant force that exploits the idea of global regulations, the foreign minister said the 12-day war showed the dispute could not be ended by military means. He asserted the strikes started with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and culminated with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.
Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making faith hard to reestablish.
Dialogue Remains the Final Answer
The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was America and the European states that had repeatedly tried to enforce their desires during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be active and stays the final resolution to settle conflicts, but its requirements, rules and principles must be followed."
"Provided that they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of respect and honor, they will receive a answer in the same language."
Repair and Reconstruction
In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and reconstruction, the foreign minister claimed he was confident Iran's military capacities "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We learned numerous insights from this engagement; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."
He continued: "We successfully passed this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the will of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but failed to break. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more united, and more supportive of the leadership and the state in the aftermath of this assault."