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Tehran is prepared to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States as long as it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.

The Iranian diplomat stated only diplomacy was effective, and shared recent overtures had been made by intermediaries to reopen discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran was not yet able to permit the global atomic watchdog to visit bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Route

Araghchi is treading a difficult route since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be acting from a position of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged more powerful defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.

He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Negotiations Unexpectedly Concluded

The earlier sessions of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and bitter termination on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with Donald Trump claiming the facilities had been eliminated. Afterward, Western states exercised their right to reimpose global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Perfect Agreement Proposed

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have persisted and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been settled in the discussions that Washington's technical specialists could work within Iranian territory, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Officials claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with the US representative the US official only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Status

Tehran representatives declared the cooperative arrangement was now no longer available, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be resurrected in various formats if discussions restart.

The American leader in recent days stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but privately Iran's diplomats say they are not yet getting clear proposals from America either directly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran states dialogue is not part of a show.

Negotiating Position

In his address to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a controlling nation that misuses the idea of international law, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict showed the dispute could not be settled by military means. He said the attacks began with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and culminated with an complete request for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were carried out with complete American awareness and coordination, making trust challenging to restore.

Diplomacy Remains the Ultimate Answer

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was the United States and the western countries that had always sought to enforce their demands during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be alive and continues the primary solution to address disagreements, but its criteria, rules and principles must be respected."

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

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of repair and recovery, Araghchi stated he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been rebuilt. We acquired multiple understandings from this engagement; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He stated: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to obliterate, remains in place. The installations and equipment, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is essential is the determination of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but did not succeed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more supportive of the leadership and the country in the face of this assault."