🔗 Share this article

Tehran is ready to reinitiate nuclear discussions with Washington provided that it is handled with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has stated.

Abbas Araghchi stated solely negotiations was effective, and shared fresh requests had originated from mediators to resume talks with the US government. He asserted Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran could not yet authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.

Walking a Complex Course

The foreign minister is walking a complex course since Iran wishes not to be seen to be acting from a position of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen stronger defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to process nuclear material on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the prior discussions.

Prior Negotiations Abruptly Terminated

The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and hostile termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that concluded with the American leader asserting the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations used their authority to restore global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a significant effect.

Perfect Agreement Suggested

Tehran representatives said they felt they had achieved a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was agreed an local partnership with US participation could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have persisted and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been decided in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Officials asserted three times they had achieved a deal with the US representative the US official only for the arrangement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Current Situation

Iran's diplomats declared the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be revived in some form if discussions resume.

The US president recently claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but in private Iranian officials say they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from the United States either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts diplomacy is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Stance

In his remarks to the forum, designed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the idea of global regulations, Araghchi said the 12-day war demonstrated the clash could not be resolved by combat operations. He asserted the attacks commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an complete request for a truce.

Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were executed with total Washington understanding and coordination, making confidence difficult to rebuild.

Negotiations Stays the Ultimate Answer

The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had fled diplomacy; it was the United States and the Western nations that had always sought to dictate their desires during the discussions. Negotiations can still be active and remains the primary answer to resolve disputes, but its criteria, rules and principles must be followed."

"In case they address to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and honor, they will receive a reply in the equivalent approach."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was assured Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We acquired multiple understandings from this conflict; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He continued: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to destroy, continues to exist. The installations and machinery, if damaged, will be restored; what is essential is the will of the nation of Iran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but failed to break. The citizens of Tehran have developed more powerful, more cohesive, and more backing of the administration and the country in the wake of this attack."