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Tehran is ready to restart nuclear discussions with the United States provided that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

The Iranian diplomat said only diplomacy was effective, and disclosed fresh requests had come from go-betweens to resume negotiations with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Path

Araghchi is navigating a complex course since Iran aims to avoid be perceived to be acting from a situation of vulnerability, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out more resilient defensively and psychologically from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.

Prior Talks Abruptly Terminated

The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that ended with the US president claiming the facilities had been destroyed. Afterward, European countries used their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Suggested

Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had attained a "ideal resolution" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that American atomic experts could work on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Officials stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Present Situation

Iran's diplomats stated the cooperative arrangement was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be resurrected in some form if negotiations restart.

The US president last week stated he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but in private Tehran representatives claim they are not yet getting clear proposals from the United States either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of inactivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran says diplomacy is not part of a spectacle.

Political Position

In his speech to the gathering, aimed to paint the US as a controlling nation that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict revealed the conflict could not be settled by armed force. He stated the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were executed with full US knowledge and collaboration, making confidence difficult to rebuild.

Negotiations Continues the Primary Solution

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had fled diplomacy; it was America and the European states that had consistently tried to impose their will during the discussions. Dialogue can still be active and stays the primary answer to address conflicts, but its requirements, regulations and tenets must be followed."

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

Restoration and Rebuilding

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of restoration and recovery, Araghchi claimed he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We learned multiple understandings from this conflict; we have discovered our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the enemy."

He added: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to destroy, continues to exist. The sites and gear, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but were unable to destroy. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more supportive of the leadership and the country in the aftermath of this invasion."