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Tehran is ready to reinitiate atomic discussions with the United States on condition that it is handled with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has stated.

The Iranian diplomat said solely negotiations worked, and disclosed fresh requests had originated from go-betweens to restart talks with the US government. He said Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Iran had not yet reached a point to allow the global atomic watchdog to inspect bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.

Navigating a Challenging Path

Araghchi is walking a complex route since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be proceeding from a stance of disadvantage, and he consistently maintained that Iran had arisen stronger in military terms and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its nuclear sites in June.

He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to process nuclear material on home soil that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Negotiations Unexpectedly Ended

The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, attacked Tehran's atomic facilities in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with the American leader declaring the facilities had been destroyed. Afterward, European countries exercised their right to reimpose international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Perfect Agreement Offered

Iranian officials stated they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. Each party would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been agreed in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could work inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Representatives asserted repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Present Position

Tehran representatives said the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems very probable the proposal could be revived in certain ways if talks resume.

The American leader last week said he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but in private Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet getting consistent overtures from America either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of passivity in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran says dialogue is not part of a show.

Political Standpoint

In his address to the conference, aimed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the notion of international law, the foreign minister stated the fortnight-long engagement showed the dispute could not be ended by armed force. He said the assaults commenced with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were executed with complete American awareness and cooperation, making faith difficult to reestablish.

Negotiations Continues the Ultimate Resolution

Araghchi said: "Tehran was not the one that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the western countries that had always attempted to impose their demands during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be viable and continues the final answer to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, guidelines and principles must be respected."

"In case they speak to the Iranian people with the approach of dignity and honor, they will obtain a reply in the same approach."

Repair and Recovery

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been rebuilt. We gained multiple understandings from this engagement; we have come to know our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the enemy."

He continued: "We successfully passed this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to eliminate, continues to exist. The installations and equipment, if destroyed, will be restored; what is important is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but were unable to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have become more powerful, more cohesive, and more supportive of the leadership and the state in the wake of this invasion."