🔗 Share this article

Tehran is willing to resume nuclear talks with Washington provided that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.

Abbas Araghchi said exclusively dialogue worked, and revealed fresh requests had originated from go-betweens to restart discussions with the US government. He asserted Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran could not yet allow the global atomic watchdog to visit struck enrichment centers for security reasons.

Navigating a Challenging Course

The foreign minister is walking a difficult path since Iran wishes not to appear to be acting from a situation of vulnerability, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out stronger defensively 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 "an inalienable right to process nuclear material within its borders that it will always maintain" – the key factor of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Prior Discussions Abruptly Concluded

The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that concluded with Donald Trump asserting the sites had been destroyed. Following this, Western states employed their privilege to reinstate international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Suggested

Tehran representatives said they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be certain that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been settled in the discussions that American atomic experts could work inside Iran, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Representatives asserted repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "opponents in the US".

Existing Position

Tehran representatives declared the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems highly likely the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if negotiations resume.

Trump last week stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to resume discussions, but confidentially Tehran representatives state they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from America either directly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been accused of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Stance

In his remarks to the forum, aimed to depict the US as a controlling nation that exploits the idea of global regulations, Araghchi stated the fortnight-long engagement showed the dispute could not be resolved by armed force. He stated the assaults started with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an complete request for a truce.

Iran is assured the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with complete American awareness and collaboration, making confidence challenging to rebuild.

Negotiations Continues the Final Solution

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was the United States and the European states that had consistently sought to enforce their desires during the negotiations. Dialogue can still be active and remains the primary answer to address disputes, but its standards, guidelines and tenets must be respected."

"Provided that they address to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and respect, they will receive a response in the equivalent tone."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and recovery, Araghchi said he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We acquired many lessons from this war; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He added: "We successfully passed this war. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to eliminate, remains in place. The sites and machinery, if destroyed, will be restored; what is essential is the will of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but failed to shatter. The Iranian people have grown more resilient, more integrated, and more supportive of the leadership and the state in the face of this invasion."