🔗 Share this article

Iran is prepared to resume atomic negotiations with Washington as long as it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

The Iranian diplomat declared only diplomacy worked, and revealed recent overtures had originated from go-betweens to resume discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to permit the UN nuclear inspectorate to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Path

Araghchi is treading a challenging course since Iran aims to avoid appear to be operating from a stance of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger militarily and emotionally from the joint assault on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Prior Negotiations Abruptly Ended

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that concluded with the American leader declaring the sites had been obliterated. Subsequently, European countries used their right to reinstate international penalties, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.

Magic Solution Proposed

Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was agreed an local partnership with US participation could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's nuclear programme 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 cooperative offer. Diplomats stated on multiple occasions they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff only for the deal to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Status

Iran's diplomats declared the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the offer could be resurrected in certain ways if negotiations resume.

The American leader last week claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but in private Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from Washington either straightforwardly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of passivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran says diplomacy is not part of a show.

Diplomatic Position

In his speech to the forum, designed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the idea of international law, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict showed the clash could not be ended by military means. He asserted the assaults began with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is convinced the first strikes by Israel were carried out with total Washington understanding and coordination, making faith hard to restore.

Diplomacy Continues the Final Resolution

Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had always attempted to dictate their desires during the negotiations. Dialogue can still be alive and continues the ultimate solution to address conflicts, but its criteria, rules and fundamentals must be adhered to."

"In case they talk to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and honor, they will get a answer in the equivalent language."

Restoration and Rebuilding

In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of recovery and reconstruction, Araghchi stated he was assured Iran's security strengths "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We learned numerous insights from this war; we have identified our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the enemy."

He continued: "We successfully passed this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to eliminate, remains in place. The sites 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 aimed at, but failed to break. The Iranian people have grown stronger, more cohesive, and more backing of the government and the nation in the face of this assault."