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

The Iranian diplomat said only diplomacy produced results, and shared fresh requests had originated from go-betweens to reopen discussions with the American leadership. He asserted Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit bombed nuclear sites for safety concerns.

Walking a Challenging Route

The foreign minister is walking a challenging course since Iran wishes not to appear to be proceeding from a stance of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had arisen stronger militarily and psychologically from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to process nuclear material on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the prior discussions.

Prior Discussions Abruptly Concluded

The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that culminated with the US president claiming the sites had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations used their privilege to restore global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Perfect Agreement Proposed

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an local partnership with American involvement could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since local refinement would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been settled in the talks that American atomic experts could function within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Representatives stated on multiple occasions they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".

Present Status

Tehran representatives declared the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems very probable the proposal could be reintroduced in various formats if negotiations reopen.

The US president recently said he had been getting signals that Iran desired to restart talks, but in private Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from Washington either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been criticized of passivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran says negotiations is not part of a spectacle.

Diplomatic Standpoint

In his address to the conference, aimed to portray the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the concept of international law, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict showed the conflict could not be resolved by armed force. He stated the attacks began with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is assured the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making faith difficult to restore.

Diplomacy Continues the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had always attempted to enforce their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and continues the ultimate resolution to address disagreements, but its criteria, regulations and principles must be adhered to."

"If they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and respect, they will get a answer in the equivalent language."

Restoration and Rebuilding

In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister claimed he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We learned numerous insights from this conflict; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the enemy."

He added: "We effectively endured this war. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to obliterate, remains in place. The facilities and gear, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is important is the will of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but did not succeed to break. The citizens of Tehran have developed more powerful, more cohesive, and more backing of the administration and the country in the wake of this assault."