Iran Says It Might Rejoin US Nuclear Negotiations if Handled with 'Dignity' and 'Respect'
Tehran is willing to reinitiate atomic negotiations with Washington as long as it is treated with "respect" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has stated.
The Iranian diplomat stated only diplomacy worked, and disclosed recent overtures had been made by go-betweens to restart discussions with the American leadership. He said Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect struck enrichment centers for protective measures.
Walking a Difficult Path
The foreign minister is treading a complex route since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be proceeding from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more powerful in military terms and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.
He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the prior discussions.
Prior Negotiations Abruptly Ended
The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that concluded with the American leader asserting the locations had been eliminated. Following this, EU nations used their privilege to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.
Magic Solution Proposed
Iran's diplomats said they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an local partnership with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.
It had not been settled in the talks that US nuclear scientists could work on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the partnership suggestion. Officials claimed three times they had reached agreement with the US representative the American negotiator only for the arrangement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".
Present Position
Iran's diplomats stated the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if discussions restart.
Trump recently claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran wanted to restart talks, but in private Iranian officials say they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from Washington either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of inactivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran states dialogue is not part of a spectacle.
Negotiating Standpoint
In his speech to the forum, intended to depict the US as a dominant force that misuses the idea of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the 12-day war showed the clash could not be resolved by armed force. He said the assaults began with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and culminated with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.
Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust hard to rebuild.
Diplomacy Remains the Final Resolution
The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was the United States and the western countries that had consistently tried to dictate their desires during the talks. Dialogue can still be active and continues the ultimate solution to resolve disputes, but its standards, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."
"In case they speak to the nation of Iran with the approach of respect and respect, they will obtain a reply in the equivalent language."
Repair and Reconstruction
In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister said he was certain Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We acquired multiple understandings from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the enemy."
He added: "We effectively endured this war. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to obliterate, remains in place. The sites and gear, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is important is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but failed to shatter. The nation of Iran have grown stronger, more cohesive, and more supportive of the administration and the country in the aftermath of this attack."