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Iran is willing to restart nuclear talks with the United States on condition that it is handled with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's top diplomat has announced.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy produced results, and shared recent overtures had come from intermediaries to restart discussions with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran did not have undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to access bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Course

The foreign minister is walking a complex course since Iran aims to avoid appear to be operating from a situation of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged stronger in military terms and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium domestically that it will perpetually retain" – the main reason of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.

Prior Negotiations Unexpectedly Concluded

The previous five rounds of talks between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile end on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, targeted Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that concluded with the American leader declaring the sites had been destroyed. Subsequently, Western states exercised their right to restore international penalties, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Perfect Agreement Offered

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with US participation could enrich uranium. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the cooperative offer. Officials stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to disintegrate due to "spoilers in Washington".

Existing Position

Iranian officials declared the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the suggestion could be resurrected in certain ways if negotiations resume.

The US president recently said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to restart talks, but privately Tehran representatives say they are not yet receiving coherent offers from the United States either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts negotiations is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Stance

In his speech to the conference, intended to portray the US as a hegemonic power that abuses the idea of international law, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict demonstrated the conflict could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the attacks began with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an unconditional call for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with full US knowledge and collaboration, making trust hard to rebuild.

Dialogue Remains the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the European states that had consistently attempted to enforce their desires during the talks. Negotiations can still be viable and remains the ultimate answer to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, guidelines and fundamentals must be adhered to."

"If they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the approach of respect and honor, they will obtain a answer in the identical tone."

Repair and Reconstruction

In what is described by Tehran representatives as the battle of restoration and rebuilding, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We learned multiple understandings from this engagement; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the shortcomings of the adversary."

He continued: "We managed to survive this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to obliterate, stays intact. The sites and machinery, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the unity of the country that they sought to undermine, but were unable to shatter. The nation of Iran have grown more resilient, more united, and more endorsing of the government and the nation in the wake of this invasion."