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Iran is ready to reinitiate nuclear discussions with Washington as long as it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy worked, and shared new appeals had come from go-betweens to reopen negotiations with the US government. He claimed Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is navigating a difficult course since Iran wishes not to appear to be proceeding from a position of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more powerful militarily and emotionally from the Israeli-US attack on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Prior Negotiations Unexpectedly Terminated

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that culminated with the US president declaring the facilities had been destroyed. Following this, European countries exercised their right to restore global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Suggested

Tehran representatives claimed they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Both sides would have been able to declare success since local refinement would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.

It had not been agreed in the talks that American atomic experts could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Representatives claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Status

Iran's diplomats said the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be reintroduced in various formats if talks reopen.

The American leader last week stated he had been getting signals that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but in private Iran's diplomats say they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of passivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran says dialogue is not part of a performance.

Political Standpoint

In his address to the conference, intended to portray the US as a hegemonic power that misuses the concept of international law, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict demonstrated the dispute could not be ended by military means. He asserted the strikes started with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and ended with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is assured the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were carried out with full US knowledge and cooperation, making confidence difficult to rebuild.

Diplomacy Stays the Ultimate Resolution

The foreign minister stated: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently attempted to enforce their desires during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be viable and remains the final solution to resolve disputes, but its criteria, guidelines and principles must be respected."

"Provided that they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and honor, they will obtain a reply in the equivalent tone."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Tehran representatives as the battle of recovery and reconstruction, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We learned multiple understandings from this conflict; we have discovered our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the adversary."

He added: "We managed to survive this war. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, continues to exist. The facilities and machinery, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to break. The nation of Iran have become more powerful, more integrated, and more supportive of the leadership and the nation in the wake of this assault."