🔗 Share this article

Tehran is ready to reinitiate nuclear talks with the United States on condition that it is handled with "dignity" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue was effective, and revealed new appeals had come from intermediaries to restart negotiations with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Tehran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.

Walking a Complex Course

Araghchi is treading a challenging route since Iran wishes not to appear to be proceeding from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out more powerful defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Earlier Discussions Abruptly Terminated

The earlier sessions of talks between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with Donald Trump claiming the facilities had been eliminated. Afterward, European countries employed their authority to reimpose international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Offered

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.

It had not been agreed in the discussions that American atomic experts could work on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Representatives stated repeatedly they had achieved a deal with the US representative the US official only for the deal to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".

Current Situation

Iranian officials stated the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be reintroduced in some form if talks reopen.

The American leader recently said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but in private Tehran representatives say they are not yet receiving clear proposals from America either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been accused of passivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a show.

Diplomatic Position

In his speech to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that exploits the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the 12-day war demonstrated the dispute could not be settled by military means. He said the assaults commenced with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and ended with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were carried out with full US knowledge and cooperation, making confidence difficult to rebuild.

Diplomacy Continues the Primary Solution

The foreign minister stated: "It was not Iran that had deserted dialogue; it was America and the western countries that had always tried to dictate their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and remains the ultimate resolution to settle conflicts, but its standards, regulations and principles must be respected."

"Provided that they talk to the nation of Iran with the language of dignity and respect, they will obtain a answer in the identical language."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Tehran representatives as the conflict of repair and rebuilding, the foreign minister said he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We learned many lessons from this engagement; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the adversary."

He stated: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to obliterate, remains in place. The installations and gear, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but failed to destroy. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more backing of the leadership and the state in the aftermath of this assault."