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Tehran is willing to restart atomic talks with Washington on condition that it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has announced.

Abbas Araghchi said exclusively dialogue was effective, and revealed recent overtures had come from mediators to reopen talks with the American leadership. He said Iran did not have secret atomic facilities, and Tehran was not yet able to permit the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Walking a Challenging Route

The foreign minister is walking a complex route since Iran does not want be perceived to be operating from a situation of weakness, and he emphatically stated that Iran had emerged more resilient militarily and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will perpetually retain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the previous talks.

Prior Discussions Abruptly Ended

The prior phases of negotiations between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a fortnight-long engagement that ended with Donald Trump asserting the sites had been eliminated. Subsequently, EU nations used their privilege to restore global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Offered

Tehran representatives said they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been decided in the discussions that American atomic experts could work on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Representatives claimed on multiple occasions they had reached agreement with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to fall apart due to "detractors in America".

Current Status

Iranian officials stated the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems very probable the proposal could be revived in various formats if talks resume.

The American leader recently claimed he had been getting signals that Iran desired to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials say they are not yet getting coherent offers from the United States either directly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iran's state department has been accused of passivity in the wake of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran asserts negotiations is not part of a spectacle.

Diplomatic Standpoint

In his remarks to the conference, aimed to portray the US as a dominant force that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the fortnight-long engagement revealed the clash could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the strikes started with a Washington's ultimatum for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were executed with full US knowledge and collaboration, making confidence hard to rebuild.

Diplomacy Remains the Primary Solution

The foreign minister said: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the European states that had repeatedly attempted to enforce their demands during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and stays the final resolution to resolve disputes, but its standards, rules and tenets must be followed."

"Provided that they address to the Iranian people with the tone of respect and honor, they will obtain a response in the same tone."

Restoration and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of restoration and rebuilding, the foreign minister stated he was assured Iran's security strengths "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been reestablished. We learned many lessons from this engagement; we have come to know our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."

He added: "We managed to survive this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, remains in place. The facilities and gear, if destroyed, will be restored; what is important is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but were unable to break. The nation of Iran have grown stronger, more integrated, and more supportive of the government and the country in the face of this assault."