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Tehran is prepared to restart atomic negotiations with the United States as long as it is approached with "dignity" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.

Abbas Araghchi declared exclusively dialogue produced results, and disclosed new appeals had come from intermediaries to restart talks with the US government. He claimed Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect bombed nuclear sites for protective measures.

Navigating a Complex Path

Araghchi is walking a difficult course since Iran wishes not to appear to be operating from a stance of vulnerability, and he consistently maintained that Iran had come out more powerful defensively and emotionally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was speaking at a defense forum in Tehran where he restated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will always maintain" – the primary cause of the impasse in the previous talks.

Earlier Talks Suddenly Terminated

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with US support, targeted Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that culminated with Donald Trump asserting the facilities had been obliterated. Following this, Western states employed their right to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran asserts they have not had a significant effect.

Perfect Agreement Offered

Tehran representatives stated they felt they had reached a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in prior discussions, when it was agreed 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 atomic project was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been agreed in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could work inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Existing Position

Tehran representatives said the partnership proposal was now off the table, but it seems very probable the proposal could be revived in some form if discussions resume.

The American leader last week stated he had been getting signals that Iran sought to reopen negotiations, but privately Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving coherent offers from Washington either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the aftermath of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran says dialogue is not part of a show.

Negotiating Position

In his speech to the forum, designed to portray the US as a dominant force that misuses the concept of international law, Araghchi stated the fortnight-long engagement demonstrated the clash could not be ended by combat operations. He asserted the attacks began with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and culminated with an unconditional call for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is assured the initial Israeli attacks were mounted with total Washington understanding and cooperation, making confidence hard to reestablish.

Dialogue Remains the Primary Answer

Araghchi stated: "It was not Iran that had abandoned negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had repeatedly sought to impose their will during the negotiations. Diplomacy can still be active and remains the ultimate answer to settle disputes, but its standards, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."

"Provided that they speak to the nation of Iran with the approach of respect and honor, they will get a reply in the identical tone."

Recovery and Rebuilding

In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the conflict of restoration and recovery, Araghchi said he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "have significantly improved than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We acquired numerous insights from this war; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."

He stated: "We effectively endured this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to destroy, continues to exist. The facilities and machinery, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is important is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but did not succeed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have become more powerful, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the leadership and the country in the aftermath of this assault."