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Tehran is ready to restart nuclear negotiations with Washington as long as it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue worked, and disclosed fresh requests had originated from mediators to restart talks with the US government. He asserted Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Challenging Route

Araghchi is walking a complex course since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be acting from a stance of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more resilient in military terms and psychologically from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the key factor of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Discussions Suddenly Concluded

The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that ended with the US president declaring the sites had been destroyed. Following this, European countries used their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Suggested

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had attained a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with US participation could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been agreed in the discussions that American atomic experts could function within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Current Situation

Iran's diplomats declared the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if negotiations reopen.

The American leader in recent days claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran sought to resume discussions, but confidentially Tehran representatives say they are not yet getting clear proposals from America either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been charged of inactivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran says dialogue is not part of a performance.

Political Standpoint

In his address to the gathering, designed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the notion of worldwide standards, the foreign minister declared the two-week conflict showed the dispute could not be resolved by combat operations. He said the assaults began with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making faith challenging to restore.

Dialogue Stays the Primary Answer

Araghchi declared: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the European states that had consistently tried to enforce their will during the discussions. Dialogue can still be viable and remains the ultimate answer to settle conflicts, but its criteria, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."

"In case they speak to the nation of Iran with the approach of dignity and honor, they will get a response in the equivalent tone."

Restoration and Recovery

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the battle of recovery and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was assured Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We gained many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the enemy."

He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to destroy, stays intact. The sites and gear, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but failed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have developed more resilient, more integrated, and more endorsing of the government and the state in the face of this invasion."