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Iran is willing to restart nuclear talks with the United States as long as it is handled with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has stated.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy was effective, and revealed new appeals had been made by mediators to resume negotiations with the Trump administration. He said Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran could not yet allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Difficult Course

Araghchi is walking a complex route since Iran does not want be seen to be acting from a stance of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful in military terms and psychologically from the joint assault on its enrichment centers in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "an inalienable right to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the deadlock in the prior discussions.

Prior Discussions Suddenly Terminated

The prior phases of discussions between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and bitter termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, attacked Iranian nuclear sites in a 12-day war that ended with the American leader asserting the facilities had been eliminated. Subsequently, Western states used their privilege to reinstate international penalties, but Iran asserts they have not had a substantial consequence.

Magic Solution Offered

Iranian officials stated they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the nuclear fuel concern in previous talks, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have persisted and the US could be confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been agreed in the negotiations that US nuclear scientists could operate within Iranian territory, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Officials claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the deal to fall apart due to "opponents in the US".

Current Position

Iran's diplomats stated the cooperative arrangement was now withdrawn, but it seems quite possible the proposal could be resurrected in certain ways if talks restart.

The American leader recently said he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to restart talks, but in private Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving clear proposals from Washington either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of non-responsiveness in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran states diplomacy is not part of a performance.

Diplomatic Stance

In his address to the conference, intended to paint the US as a controlling nation that abuses the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi declared the two-week conflict showed the conflict could not be settled by combat operations. He asserted the attacks started with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and culminated with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is convinced the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and collaboration, making faith difficult to reestablish.

Dialogue Stays the Ultimate Resolution

Araghchi declared: "It was not Iran that had abandoned dialogue; it was America and the western countries that had repeatedly tried to impose their desires during the talks. Diplomacy can still be active and remains the ultimate resolution to resolve disputes, but its standards, guidelines and principles must be respected."

"In case they address to the Iranian people with the language of dignity and respect, they will obtain a reply in the identical approach."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the conflict of restoration and recovery, Araghchi stated he was assured Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been restored. We gained many lessons from this war; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the opponent."

He added: "We successfully passed this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they aimed to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if damaged, will be restored; what is important is the determination of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they aimed at, but did not succeed to shatter. The nation of Iran have developed stronger, more united, and more supportive of the administration and the nation in the wake of this attack."