Iran Says It May Rejoin US Nuclear Talks if Handled with 'Dignity' and 'Honor'

Tehran is willing to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with the United States provided that it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi stated only diplomacy worked, and disclosed fresh requests had originated from intermediaries to resume negotiations with the US government. He asserted Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran could not yet allow the global atomic watchdog to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Challenging Course

Araghchi is walking a challenging path since Iran does not want appear to be operating from a position of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged stronger militarily and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Talks Abruptly Ended

The earlier sessions of negotiations between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with Donald Trump declaring the locations had been destroyed. Afterward, Western states exercised their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Offered

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the nuclear fuel concern in previous talks, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to claim victory since local refinement would have continued and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been agreed in the negotiations that American atomic experts could function within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed three times they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".

Current Position

Iran's diplomats said the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be revived in various formats if talks reopen.

Trump recently claimed he had been getting signals that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but in private Iranian officials claim they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from the United States either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of passivity in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts dialogue is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Stance

In his remarks to the gathering, intended to portray the US as a controlling nation that abuses the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the two-week conflict revealed the clash could not be settled by combat operations. He said the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were mounted with total Washington understanding and coordination, making trust difficult to reestablish.

Negotiations Remains the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had fled diplomacy; it was America and the European states that had repeatedly sought to enforce their will during the discussions. Negotiations can still be alive and remains the ultimate solution to resolve conflicts, but its standards, guidelines and fundamentals must be followed."

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

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's security strengths "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been rebuilt. We learned multiple understandings from this conflict; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He stated: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they planned to obliterate, remains in place. The facilities and gear, if destroyed, will be restored; what is important is the determination of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but did not succeed to destroy. The Iranian people have developed more powerful, more integrated, and more supportive of the government and the country in the wake of this invasion."