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Tehran is prepared to resume atomic talks with the United States on condition that it is handled with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy worked, and disclosed fresh requests had originated from go-betweens to reopen talks with the American leadership. He asserted Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Iran had not yet reached a point to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Course

Araghchi is treading a complex path since Iran does not want be perceived to be proceeding from a position of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful militarily and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to enrich uranium within its borders that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the impasse in the previous talks.

Previous Negotiations Unexpectedly Concluded

The prior phases of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a fortnight-long engagement that culminated with the American leader claiming the locations had been eliminated. Following this, European countries exercised their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Suggested

Tehran representatives said they felt they had attained a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with US participation could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was entirely non-military.

It had not been agreed in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could function on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats asserted on multiple occasions they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Position

Iran's diplomats stated the partnership proposal was now withdrawn, but it seems highly likely the offer could be resurrected in some form if discussions restart.

The American leader last week claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to resume discussions, but privately Iran's diplomats claim they are not yet obtaining consistent overtures from Washington either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts negotiations is not part of a show.

Political Stance

In his remarks to the gathering, aimed to paint the US as a dominant force that abuses the concept of international law, the foreign minister said the two-week conflict showed the dispute could not be settled by armed force. He stated the attacks commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an complete request for a truce.

Iran is convinced the first strikes by Israel were carried out with complete American awareness and cooperation, making faith challenging to reestablish.

Diplomacy Stays the Ultimate Solution

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted dialogue; it was the United States and the western countries that had repeatedly tried to enforce their desires during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be alive and continues the primary answer to settle disputes, but its criteria, regulations and tenets must be respected."

"In case they talk to the Iranian people with the approach of respect and honor, they will get a response in the identical approach."

Recovery and Rebuilding

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of repair and recovery, the foreign minister stated he was assured Iran's security strengths "have significantly improved than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been restored. We gained many lessons from this conflict; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the enemy."

He added: "We successfully passed this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to destroy, continues to exist. The installations and gear, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is essential is the resolve of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they targeted, but were unable to shatter. The citizens of Tehran have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more backing of the administration and the country in the aftermath of this invasion."