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Tehran is ready to restart nuclear discussions with Washington on condition that it is handled with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has announced.

Abbas Araghchi said solely negotiations was effective, and disclosed fresh requests had been made by intermediaries to restart talks with the American leadership. He claimed Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet authorize the global atomic watchdog to inspect attacked atomic facilities for safety concerns.

Walking a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is treading a complex route since Iran does not want be seen to be acting from a position of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged more resilient militarily and emotionally from the joint assault on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material within its borders that it will never give up" – the main reason of the deadlock in the previous talks.

Prior Discussions Suddenly Concluded

The earlier sessions of negotiations between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, targeted Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that culminated with the American leader asserting the locations had been obliterated. Following this, Western states exercised their right to restore international penalties, but Iran maintains they have not had a significant effect.

Perfect Agreement Suggested

Iranian officials said they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph 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 decided in the talks that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the partnership suggestion. Representatives asserted three times they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "opponents in the US".

Current Position

Iranian officials declared the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be reintroduced in various formats if talks restart.

Trump recently said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to restart talks, but confidentially Iran's diplomats say they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from America either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of passivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran states diplomacy is not part of a show.

Diplomatic Position

In his remarks to the conference, intended to portray the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the concept of international law, the foreign minister declared the 12-day war revealed the dispute could not be ended by armed force. He stated the strikes began with a US demand for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making confidence hard to rebuild.

Dialogue Stays the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister stated: "It was not Iran that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had consistently sought to dictate their desires during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be viable and stays the primary resolution to settle disagreements, but its requirements, regulations and fundamentals must be followed."

"In case they address to the nation of Iran with the language of dignity and honor, they will get a reply in the identical approach."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the struggle of restoration and rebuilding, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been restored. We acquired many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the adversary."

He added: "We effectively endured this war. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to destroy, continues to exist. The sites and gear, if damaged, will be restored; what is crucial is the will of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but were unable to break. The citizens of Tehran have become stronger, more united, and more supportive of the administration and the state in the aftermath of this attack."