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Tehran is willing to reinitiate nuclear discussions with the United States on condition that it is handled with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has announced.

Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy worked, and disclosed fresh requests had come from go-betweens to restart negotiations with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Course

Araghchi is navigating a challenging course since Iran does not want be seen to be proceeding from a situation of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more resilient in military terms and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium within its borders that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Prior Talks Suddenly Terminated

The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a two-week conflict that concluded with the American leader asserting the facilities had been destroyed. Afterward, Western states employed their privilege to reimpose international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Suggested

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been agreed in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could function inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Representatives stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Existing Status

Tehran representatives stated the cooperative arrangement was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the offer could be revived in some form if negotiations reopen.

The US president in recent days said he had been obtaining communications that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but confidentially Tehran representatives claim they are not yet getting coherent offers from America either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of non-responsiveness in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states negotiations is not part of a show.

Diplomatic Stance

In his remarks to the forum, aimed to portray the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the idea of international law, the foreign minister said the fortnight-long engagement revealed the dispute could not be settled by military means. He said the strikes commenced with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an unconditional call for a ceasefire.

Iran is convinced the first strikes by Israel were executed with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making trust hard to reestablish.

Negotiations Remains the Final Solution

The foreign minister stated: "It was not Iran that had fled dialogue; it was America and the European states that had always attempted to impose their will during the talks. Negotiations can still be active and stays the primary answer to address disputes, but its requirements, guidelines and principles must be adhered to."

"In case they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and honor, they will get a reply in the equivalent language."

Restoration and Recovery

In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was assured Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We acquired many lessons from this conflict; we have identified our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the enemy."

He added: "We successfully passed this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to eliminate, remains in place. The installations and equipment, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but were unable to break. The Iranian people have developed more resilient, more integrated, and more endorsing of the administration and the country in the aftermath of this attack."