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Tehran is prepared to resume atomic talks with the United States on condition that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Tehran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue was effective, and shared fresh requests had come from go-betweens to reopen discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran could not yet permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to access attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is navigating a difficult route since Iran does not want be seen to be proceeding from a position of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out more powerful militarily and mentally from the joint assault on its atomic facilities in June.

He was addressing at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the stalemate in the previous talks.

Earlier Discussions Unexpectedly Ended

The prior phases of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that concluded with the American leader declaring the locations had been obliterated. Following this, EU nations exercised their privilege to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Offered

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since local refinement would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could work inside Iran, but that was a natural consequence of the partnership suggestion. Officials stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat the US official only for the agreement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Present Situation

Tehran representatives said the consortium offer was now withdrawn, but it seems very probable the proposal could be reintroduced in various formats if talks resume.

The US president recently stated he had been getting signals that Iran wanted to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials claim they are not yet getting consistent overtures from the United States either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been charged of passivity in the wake of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran asserts dialogue is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Stance

In his remarks to the forum, designed to paint the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the notion of international law, the foreign minister stated the 12-day war revealed the conflict could not be resolved by armed force. He said the attacks started with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were executed with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust hard to restore.

Diplomacy Stays the Ultimate Answer

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned dialogue; it was the United States and the European states that had repeatedly sought to dictate their demands during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be viable and stays the ultimate solution to settle conflicts, but its criteria, rules and tenets must be followed."

"In case they speak to the nation of Iran with the language of dignity and honor, they will receive a reply in the identical tone."

Repair and Reconstruction

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, Araghchi said he was assured Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been rebuilt. We learned numerous insights from this conflict; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He continued: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our atomic expertise, which they planned to eliminate, remains in place. The facilities and gear, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to break. The nation of Iran have grown more resilient, more integrated, and more supportive of the administration and the country in the face of this attack."