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Tehran is willing to resume nuclear discussions with Washington provided that it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has stated.

Abbas Araghchi said solely negotiations produced results, and shared fresh requests had originated from intermediaries to restart discussions with the US government. He asserted Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Tehran was not yet able to allow the global atomic watchdog to visit attacked atomic facilities for safety concerns.

Navigating a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is treading a challenging route since Iran wishes not to be seen to be proceeding from a situation of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more resilient defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the main reason of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Previous Discussions Abruptly Terminated

The earlier sessions of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with Donald Trump claiming the locations had been obliterated. Following this, EU nations used their privilege to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Perfect Agreement Proposed

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an local partnership with US participation could enrich uranium. Each party would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been agreed in the discussions that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Diplomats asserted repeatedly they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Current Situation

Iran's diplomats said the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems highly likely the offer could be revived in various formats if talks restart.

The American leader last week claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Tehran representatives claim they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from Washington either straightforwardly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Tehran's diplomatic corps has been criticized of inactivity in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran states negotiations is not part of a spectacle.

Political Position

In his remarks to the gathering, intended to depict the US as a controlling nation that abuses the notion of international law, Araghchi declared the 12-day war showed the dispute could not be resolved by military means. He stated the attacks started with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making faith challenging to rebuild.

Negotiations Stays the Primary Resolution

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was America and the European states that had repeatedly attempted to enforce their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be viable and remains the ultimate answer to resolve disputes, but its requirements, rules and principles must be respected."

"In case they speak to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of dignity and honor, they will get a response in the equivalent tone."

Recovery and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the battle of restoration and recovery, Araghchi stated he was assured Iran's security strengths "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We acquired many lessons from this conflict; we have discovered our personal limitations and the shortcomings of the enemy."

He continued: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to obliterate, continues to exist. The installations and machinery, if eliminated, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the will of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but did not succeed to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have become more resilient, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the leadership and the nation in the face of this invasion."