🔗 Share this article

Iran is ready to reinitiate nuclear discussions with the United States on condition that it is handled with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi said exclusively dialogue produced results, and revealed new appeals had originated from intermediaries to resume negotiations with the American leadership. He asserted Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to access attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Navigating a Difficult Course

Araghchi is treading a challenging path since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be operating from a position of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had arisen more powerful defensively and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to enrich uranium domestically that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Discussions Abruptly Terminated

The earlier sessions of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile termination on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that concluded with the American leader declaring the locations had been obliterated. Following this, Western states used their authority to reinstate international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a substantial consequence.

Ideal Resolution Suggested

Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had reached a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been decided in the talks that US nuclear scientists could operate inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Diplomats stated on multiple occasions they had secured an understanding with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the deal to collapse due to "opponents in the US".

Existing Position

Iranian officials stated the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be reintroduced in various formats if talks restart.

The US president recently claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to restart talks, but privately Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from the United States either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of inactivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran states negotiations is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Position

In his remarks to the forum, aimed to portray the US as a dominant force that abuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the fortnight-long engagement showed the clash could not be ended by military means. He stated the strikes started with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust hard to restore.

Dialogue Continues the Final Solution

Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had consistently sought to impose their demands during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be active and remains the primary resolution to address disagreements, but its requirements, rules and principles must be adhered to."

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

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister stated he was assured Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We learned multiple understandings from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He added: "We successfully passed this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to obliterate, continues to exist. The facilities and machinery, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is important is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but were unable to destroy. The nation of Iran have become stronger, more united, and more supportive of the administration and the state in the face of this attack."