🔗 Share this article

Iran is prepared to restart nuclear talks with Washington on condition that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.

Abbas Araghchi stated solely negotiations was effective, and shared recent overtures had been made by intermediaries to resume talks with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.

Navigating a Difficult Route

Araghchi is walking a challenging course since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be operating from a situation of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged more resilient militarily and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to process nuclear material on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.

Prior Talks Unexpectedly Ended

The earlier sessions of negotiations between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with US support, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with the American leader declaring the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, Western states used their authority to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Offered

Tehran representatives stated they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the nuclear fuel concern in previous talks, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with US participation could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to declare success since local refinement would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that American atomic experts could work within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Representatives stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the deal to collapse due to "opponents in the US".

Existing Status

Tehran representatives declared the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if talks reopen.

The US president last week stated he had been getting signals that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but privately Iranian officials say they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from the United States either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of inactivity in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran asserts dialogue is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Position

In his speech to the forum, aimed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the notion of international law, Araghchi said the fortnight-long engagement revealed the dispute could not be resolved by armed force. He said the strikes began with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and culminated with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were carried out with full US knowledge and coordination, making faith hard to restore.

Dialogue Stays the Ultimate Answer

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had repeatedly sought to impose their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and remains the ultimate solution to settle disagreements, but its requirements, rules and fundamentals must be followed."

"In case they address to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and respect, they will obtain a reply in the equivalent language."

Restoration and Recovery

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the struggle of recovery and reconstruction, the foreign minister stated he was assured Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We gained many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He continued: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to eliminate, remains in place. The facilities and gear, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the resolve of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but were unable to destroy. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more integrated, and more endorsing of the leadership and the state in the wake of this attack."