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Tehran is prepared to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with the United States on condition that it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat stated only diplomacy was effective, and disclosed recent overtures had come from go-betweens to reopen talks with the US government. He asserted Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran could not yet authorize the global atomic watchdog to inspect attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Walking a Challenging Path

Araghchi is walking a complex path since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be proceeding from a stance of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had emerged more powerful militarily and emotionally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a defense forum in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Previous Negotiations Suddenly Terminated

The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that concluded with the US president claiming the facilities had been eliminated. Following this, Western states employed their right to restore global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Suggested

Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had achieved a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with American involvement could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have continued and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could function inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Representatives stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with the US representative the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Existing Situation

Iran's diplomats said the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the offer could be reintroduced in certain ways if talks reopen.

Trump last week said he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials say they are not yet getting clear proposals from the United States either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of inactivity in the face of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.

Political Position

In his speech to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that misuses the idea of global regulations, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict showed the dispute could not be settled by military means. He said the attacks commenced with a American requirement for an total Iran submission and culminated with an complete request for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with complete American awareness and cooperation, making confidence challenging to restore.

Diplomacy Remains the Primary Resolution

The foreign minister declared: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted negotiations; it was the United States and the western countries that had consistently attempted to impose their demands during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be viable and remains the primary solution to address disagreements, but its criteria, regulations and tenets must be followed."

"Provided that they address to the Iranian people with the tone of dignity and honor, they will obtain a response in the equivalent tone."

Recovery and Rebuilding

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the struggle of recovery and reconstruction, the foreign minister said he was confident Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been restored. We acquired many lessons from this conflict; we have come to know our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the enemy."

He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they aimed to eliminate, continues to exist. The facilities and machinery, if damaged, will be restored; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to break. The nation of Iran have grown more powerful, more integrated, and more supportive of the administration and the state in the face of this invasion."