🔗 Share this article

Iran is prepared to restart atomic negotiations with the United States provided that it is handled with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has announced.

Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue produced results, and revealed new appeals had been made by go-betweens to restart negotiations with the US government. He claimed Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Tehran could not yet allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Challenging Path

Araghchi is navigating a challenging course since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be operating from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger militarily and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.

He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the key factor of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Previous Negotiations Unexpectedly Ended

The earlier sessions of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that ended with the US president claiming the sites had been destroyed. Subsequently, European countries used their authority to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Suggested

Iranian officials stated they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with US participation 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 confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.

It had not been decided in the discussions that American atomic experts could function on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Representatives claimed three times they had secured an understanding with the US representative the US official only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".

Existing Status

Iranian officials said the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be resurrected in some form if talks resume.

The US president last week said he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but in private Tehran representatives state they are not yet getting coherent offers from America either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran says diplomacy is not part of a show.

Negotiating Position

In his remarks to the gathering, intended to portray the US as a dominant force that abuses the concept of international law, the foreign minister declared the 12-day war revealed the dispute could not be settled by armed force. He said the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with full US knowledge and coordination, making confidence hard to rebuild.

Dialogue Continues the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had always sought to enforce their demands during the discussions. Dialogue can still be alive and continues the primary answer to settle disagreements, but its standards, guidelines and principles must be adhered to."

"In case they address to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and honor, they will obtain a answer in the same approach."

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister stated he was confident Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We acquired many lessons from this war; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the adversary."

He stated: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The installations and equipment, if destroyed, will be restored; what is important is the determination of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to shatter. The Iranian people have developed more resilient, more united, and more backing of the administration and the state in the wake of this attack."