🔗 Share this article

Tehran is prepared to restart nuclear negotiations with the United States as long as it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.

The Iranian diplomat declared solely negotiations produced results, and revealed recent overtures had been made by go-betweens to resume talks with the Trump administration. He said Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran could not yet allow the global atomic watchdog to access bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.

Walking a Complex Course

The foreign minister is treading a difficult route since Iran does not want be seen to be operating from a situation of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged stronger militarily and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.

He was talking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Prior Talks Abruptly Terminated

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile termination on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that culminated with the American leader declaring the locations had been eliminated. Following this, European countries used their authority to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Proposed

Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since local refinement would have persisted and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been decided in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could function within Iranian territory, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Diplomats claimed repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the deal to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".

Present Position

Tehran representatives said the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be reintroduced in some form if discussions reopen.

The American leader in recent days said he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to resume discussions, but in private Tehran representatives claim they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from America either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been criticized of passivity in the face of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran says diplomacy is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Standpoint

In his speech to the gathering, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that misuses the notion of global regulations, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict demonstrated the conflict could not be ended by military means. He stated the attacks started with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were executed with full US knowledge and cooperation, making trust difficult to restore.

Dialogue Stays the Final Answer

Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was America and the Western nations that had consistently tried to impose their will during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be viable and remains the ultimate resolution to address disagreements, but its requirements, guidelines and tenets must be respected."

"If they talk to the nation of Iran with the tone of respect and honor, they will receive a response in the identical approach."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of repair and reconstruction, Araghchi stated he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We gained multiple understandings from this conflict; we have identified our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He added: "We managed to survive this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to destroy, continues to exist. The facilities and equipment, if destroyed, will be restored; what is important is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but did not succeed to destroy. The nation of Iran have become more resilient, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the administration and the country in the aftermath of this assault."