🔗 Share this article

Tehran is prepared to restart atomic discussions with the United States provided that it is approached with "dignity" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.

The Iranian diplomat declared only diplomacy worked, and revealed new appeals had been made by intermediaries to resume talks with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran had not yet reached a point to permit the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit struck enrichment centers for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Course

Araghchi is treading a complex route since Iran does not want appear to be proceeding from a situation of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger militarily and mentally from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.

He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Negotiations Suddenly Ended

The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that culminated with Donald Trump declaring the sites had been eliminated. Following this, Western states exercised their right to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.

Perfect Agreement Suggested

Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that American atomic experts could operate inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Officials stated three times they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".

Existing Situation

Iranian officials stated the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be reintroduced in some form if negotiations restart.

The US president in recent days stated he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to restart talks, but confidentially Tehran representatives state they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from Washington either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been criticized of passivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a show.

Political Standpoint

In his remarks to the conference, intended to depict the US as a controlling nation that misuses the notion of worldwide standards, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict revealed the conflict could not be resolved by military means. He said the strikes began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and ended with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with full US knowledge and cooperation, making faith hard to reestablish.

Dialogue Remains the Final Solution

Araghchi declared: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had repeatedly tried to impose their desires during the talks. Negotiations can still be active and continues the ultimate resolution to address disputes, but its criteria, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."

"Provided that they address to the nation of Iran with the language of respect and honor, they will receive a reply in the equivalent tone."

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the battle of restoration and recovery, the foreign minister stated he was assured Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than before 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We gained multiple understandings from this engagement; we have identified our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the opponent."

He stated: "We managed to survive this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to eliminate, stays intact. The sites and gear, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is important is the determination of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but failed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more cohesive, and more backing of the leadership and the state in the aftermath of this attack."