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Tehran is prepared to restart nuclear discussions with the United States on condition that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi stated solely negotiations worked, and disclosed new appeals had originated from mediators to reopen discussions with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran was not yet able to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Challenging Path

Araghchi is walking a difficult route since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be acting from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had emerged more resilient defensively and mentally from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to enrich uranium domestically that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the previous talks.

Prior Negotiations Abruptly Concluded

The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that concluded with Donald Trump claiming the facilities had been destroyed. Afterward, European countries exercised their privilege to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.

Ideal Resolution Proposed

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could function inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed on multiple occasions they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".

Present Position

Iran's diplomats said the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if negotiations reopen.

The American leader in recent days stated he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to restart talks, but in private Tehran representatives state they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from Washington either directly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of non-responsiveness in the wake of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran says diplomacy is not part of a spectacle.

Diplomatic Standpoint

In his address to the conference, intended to depict the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister stated the two-week conflict demonstrated the clash could not be resolved by combat operations. He asserted the assaults began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and concluded with an unconditional call for a ceasefire.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were executed with complete American awareness and cooperation, making confidence difficult to restore.

Diplomacy Continues the Final Resolution

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the Western nations that had always attempted to impose their demands during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be alive and remains the ultimate answer to address conflicts, but its criteria, regulations and principles must be followed."

"In case they talk to the Iranian people with the language of respect and honor, they will obtain a reply in the equivalent tone."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the struggle of repair and recovery, Araghchi stated he was confident Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We acquired numerous insights from this conflict; we have identified our personal limitations and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He continued: "We successfully passed this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and equipment, if damaged, will be restored; what is essential is the determination of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but were unable to destroy. The nation of Iran have become more resilient, more integrated, and more supportive of the government and the nation in the aftermath of this invasion."