Iran Says It Could Resume American Atomic Talks if Approached with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'

Tehran is willing to restart nuclear negotiations with the United States as long as it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has stated.

Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue worked, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from intermediaries to restart talks with the US government. He asserted Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to access struck enrichment centers for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Course

Araghchi is walking a challenging route since Iran does not want be seen to be operating from a position of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen more powerful militarily and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a security conference 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 stalemate in the earlier negotiations.

Previous Discussions Suddenly Ended

The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that culminated with Donald Trump claiming the sites had been destroyed. Afterward, Western states used their privilege to restore global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Proposed

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been agreed in the negotiations that American atomic experts could function inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Representatives stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Trump's special envoy the American negotiator only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Situation

Tehran representatives said the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems very probable the offer could be reintroduced in some form if negotiations restart.

The American leader in recent days said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but confidentially Tehran representatives state they are not yet getting consistent overtures from the United States either straightforwardly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been charged of inactivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran says negotiations is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Position

In his address to the conference, intended to paint the US as a dominant force that exploits the idea of international law, Araghchi said the 12-day war showed the clash could not be settled by combat operations. He asserted the strikes began with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with total Washington understanding and coordination, making faith challenging to rebuild.

Negotiations Stays the Final Answer

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had fled diplomacy; it was the United States and the western countries that had always attempted to impose their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be active and continues the final answer to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, rules and tenets must be followed."

"If they talk to the Iranian people with the approach of respect and honor, they will obtain a response in the same language."

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was certain Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We gained numerous insights from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the adversary."

He stated: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, continues to exist. The facilities and equipment, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is important is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but did not succeed to break. The nation of Iran have grown stronger, more integrated, and more backing of the administration and the nation in the wake of this assault."

Scott Martinez
Scott Martinez

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