🔗 Share this article

Tehran is prepared to resume atomic talks with the United States as long as it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi stated only diplomacy was effective, and revealed new appeals had been made by mediators to reopen discussions with the US government. He claimed Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Walking a Challenging Course

Araghchi is navigating a challenging course since Iran does not want be perceived to be operating from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out stronger militarily and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will never give up" – the main reason of the deadlock in the previous talks.

Earlier Negotiations Abruptly Ended

The earlier sessions of talks between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and bitter termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with the American leader claiming the sites had been eliminated. Afterward, European countries used their authority to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Suggested

Iranian officials stated they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats asserted three times they had achieved a deal with the US representative the American negotiator only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Present Situation

Iranian officials declared the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the proposal could be resurrected in some form if negotiations resume.

The American leader in recent days claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to restart talks, but in private Tehran representatives say they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from America either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of passivity in the face of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran states negotiations is not part of a performance.

Political Position

In his remarks to the gathering, aimed to depict the US as a controlling nation that exploits the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi said the fortnight-long engagement showed the clash could not be settled by combat operations. He said the attacks started with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust challenging to restore.

Diplomacy Stays the Ultimate Solution

Araghchi declared: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was America and the European states that had always sought to dictate their desires during the discussions. Dialogue can still be active and remains the primary resolution to settle disputes, but its requirements, rules and principles must be followed."

"Provided that they talk to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and honor, they will receive a answer in the identical approach."

Repair and Recovery

In what is described by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and reconstruction, Araghchi claimed he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We acquired multiple understandings from this conflict; we have discovered our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to eliminate, remains in place. The facilities and machinery, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have grown more powerful, more united, and more supportive of the government and the nation in the wake of this attack."