🔗 Share this article

Tehran is ready to resume nuclear negotiations with Washington on condition that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has stated.

The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue was effective, and revealed recent overtures had originated from mediators to reopen negotiations with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to access struck enrichment centers for protective measures.

Walking a Complex Course

The foreign minister is walking a difficult course since Iran does not want appear to be acting from a situation of vulnerability, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger defensively and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Prior Negotiations Suddenly Ended

The earlier sessions of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with Donald Trump claiming the sites had been obliterated. Afterward, European countries employed their right to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a significant effect.

Ideal Resolution Offered

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was settled an local partnership with American involvement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have continued and the US could be certain that Iran's atomic project was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been settled in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could operate inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the partnership suggestion. Officials claimed on multiple occasions they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Status

Iran's diplomats stated the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems very probable the proposal could be resurrected in various formats if negotiations reopen.

The US president in recent days said he had been receiving messages that Iran sought to resume discussions, but in private Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving coherent offers from the United States either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been charged of non-responsiveness in the face of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran asserts diplomacy is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Stance

In his remarks to the conference, intended to paint the US as a dominant force that abuses the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the fortnight-long engagement showed the clash could not be ended by military means. He said the attacks started with a US demand for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were executed with full US knowledge and coordination, making confidence challenging to reestablish.

Negotiations Stays the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had abandoned dialogue; it was America and the European states that had consistently attempted to enforce their demands during the talks. Dialogue can still be active and remains the final answer to address conflicts, but its requirements, regulations and fundamentals must be adhered to."

"In case they address to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and respect, they will receive a answer in the same approach."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is described by Iranian officials as the struggle of repair and recovery, Araghchi claimed 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 learned multiple understandings from this engagement; we have come to know our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the adversary."

He continued: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to eliminate, continues to exist. The facilities and gear, if eliminated, will be restored; what is important is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but failed to shatter. The Iranian people have grown more resilient, more integrated, and more endorsing of the leadership and the nation in the wake of this assault."