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Tehran is willing to resume atomic discussions with Washington provided that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi stated only diplomacy worked, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from intermediaries to resume discussions with the Trump administration. He said Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to access bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Path

Araghchi is walking a challenging course since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be operating from a stance of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had arisen more powerful in military terms and mentally from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.

He was addressing at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to process nuclear material within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.

Previous Talks Unexpectedly Ended

The previous five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a fortnight-long engagement that concluded with the American leader asserting the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations exercised their authority to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Offered

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was agreed an local partnership with US participation could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the discussions that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats claimed on multiple occasions they had reached agreement with the US representative the American negotiator only for the agreement to collapse due to "opponents in the US".

Current Situation

Tehran representatives said the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be resurrected in some form if talks restart.

Trump recently claimed he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but privately Iranian officials claim they are not yet obtaining clear proposals from the United States either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Tehran states dialogue is not part of a spectacle.

Negotiating Stance

In his address to the forum, intended to paint the US as a controlling nation that exploits the notion of international law, Araghchi stated the 12-day war showed the conflict could not be ended by armed force. He stated the strikes commenced with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were executed with total Washington understanding and coordination, making trust challenging to reestablish.

Diplomacy Stays the Primary Solution

Araghchi said: "It was not Iran that had deserted negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had always sought to impose their desires during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be active and remains the primary solution to resolve disputes, but its standards, regulations and fundamentals must be respected."

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

Repair and Recovery

In what is described by Iranian officials as the battle of restoration and recovery, the foreign minister claimed he was assured Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been reestablished. We acquired many lessons from this war; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He stated: "We managed to survive this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The sites and machinery, if eliminated, will be restored; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the unity of the country that they targeted, but did not succeed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more united, and more backing of the government and the nation in the wake of this attack."