Iran Says It Might Resume US Atomic Discussions provided that Treated with 'Respect' and 'Honor'

Tehran is ready to resume atomic discussions with the United States on condition that it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

The Iranian diplomat declared exclusively dialogue worked, and revealed new appeals had come from go-betweens to restart negotiations with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran possessed no unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the global atomic watchdog to access struck enrichment centers for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Route

The foreign minister is navigating a challenging route since Iran does not want appear to be acting from a position of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out stronger militarily and mentally from the joint assault on its enrichment centers in June.

He was talking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the main reason of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Earlier Negotiations Suddenly Concluded

The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a two-week conflict that ended with the American leader claiming the locations had been obliterated. Subsequently, Western states used their authority to restore international penalties, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Perfect Agreement Offered

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with US participation could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.

It had not been decided in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could function on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats stated three times they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the deal to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".

Existing Position

Tehran representatives stated the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be reintroduced in certain ways if discussions reopen.

The US president in recent days stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials claim they are not yet receiving coherent offers from Washington either straightforwardly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been accused of passivity in the wake of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Stance

In his remarks to the conference, aimed to portray the US as a dominant force that exploits the concept of global regulations, the foreign minister stated the fortnight-long engagement showed the clash could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the assaults commenced with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were executed with total Washington understanding and coordination, making trust challenging to reestablish.

Dialogue Stays the Final Resolution

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had fled diplomacy; it was the United States and the Western nations that had repeatedly tried to impose their desires during the negotiations. Dialogue can still be alive and remains the primary resolution to address disagreements, but its requirements, rules and tenets must be adhered to."

"If they speak to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and honor, they will receive a response in the same approach."

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is described by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was confident Iran's military capacities "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We acquired many lessons from this conflict; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He continued: "We managed to survive this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to destroy, continues to exist. The facilities and equipment, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is important is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but were unable to shatter. The Iranian people have grown more powerful, more cohesive, and more supportive of the administration and the nation in the face of this attack."