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Tehran is willing to resume nuclear discussions with Washington on condition that it is handled with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.

The Iranian diplomat said only diplomacy produced results, and disclosed recent overtures had come from mediators to reopen discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.

Walking a Challenging Route

The foreign minister is walking a challenging course since Iran wishes not to appear to be operating from a position of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged more resilient militarily and emotionally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the deadlock in the previous talks.

Prior Negotiations Suddenly Terminated

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the United States and Iran were brought to an abrupt and acrimonious end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a fortnight-long engagement that culminated with Donald Trump declaring the facilities had been eliminated. Afterward, Western states exercised their authority to restore global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.

Perfect Agreement Suggested

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had reached a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in previous talks, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with US participation could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to declare success since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been agreed in the talks that US nuclear scientists could work on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the cooperative offer. Diplomats stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Status

Tehran representatives declared the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if talks reopen.

The American leader in recent days said he had been obtaining communications that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but privately Tehran representatives state they are not yet getting clear proposals from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of passivity in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran asserts negotiations is not part of a show.

Diplomatic Stance

In his speech to the gathering, intended to depict the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict showed the conflict could not be resolved by armed force. He said the assaults commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and culminated with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with full US knowledge and coordination, making faith hard to rebuild.

Diplomacy Remains the Final Solution

The foreign minister declared: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently sought to dictate their will during the talks. Negotiations can still be active and stays the primary solution to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, rules and principles must be adhered to."

"Provided that they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the language of dignity and honor, they will obtain a response in the same approach."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of restoration and rebuilding, the foreign minister claimed he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been restored. We learned numerous insights from this conflict; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the shortcomings of the opponent."

He added: "We managed to survive this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to obliterate, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if damaged, will be restored; what is essential is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but failed to destroy. The nation of Iran have developed stronger, more integrated, and more endorsing of the leadership and the country in the face of this attack."