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Iran is ready to reinitiate atomic discussions with Washington as long as it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's top diplomat has declared.

The Iranian diplomat declared only diplomacy worked, and shared recent overtures had originated from go-betweens to resume negotiations with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran had zero unreported enrichment locations, and Tehran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Navigating a Complex Route

Araghchi is navigating a difficult course since Iran wishes not to be seen to be proceeding from a stance of weakness, and he consistently maintained that Iran had emerged stronger militarily and psychologically from the coordinated strike on its atomic facilities in June.

He was talking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to process nuclear material on home soil that it will never give up" – the main reason of the impasse in the prior discussions.

Earlier Talks Suddenly Terminated

The previous five rounds of talks between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that culminated with Donald Trump asserting the locations had been destroyed. Afterward, Western states exercised their right to reinstate UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Ideal Resolution Offered

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had attained a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was decided an domestic cooperative with American involvement could process nuclear material. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been settled in the talks that Washington's technical specialists could work on Iranian soil, but that was a natural consequence of the cooperative offer. Diplomats claimed three times they had reached agreement with the US representative Steve Witkoff only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".

Existing Position

Iran's diplomats said the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems highly likely the offer could be reintroduced in various formats if talks resume.

The US president last week said he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to reopen negotiations, but in private Tehran representatives say they are not yet receiving coherent offers from the United States either directly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been accused of non-responsiveness in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts negotiations is not part of a show.

Negotiating Standpoint

In his speech to the forum, aimed to paint the US as a controlling nation that exploits the notion of international law, the foreign minister stated the 12-day war showed the conflict could not be resolved by armed force. He said the attacks commenced with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and ended with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were executed with complete American awareness and cooperation, making trust hard to restore.

Dialogue Remains the Primary Solution

Araghchi stated: "Tehran was not the one that had abandoned diplomacy; it was America and the Western nations that had consistently attempted to impose their will during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be viable and remains the primary solution to settle conflicts, but its requirements, guidelines and tenets must be adhered to."

"If they talk to the Iranian people with the language of respect and honor, they will receive a reply in the identical tone."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of recovery and rebuilding, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We learned multiple understandings from this war; we have come to know our own weaknesses and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He continued: "We effectively endured this conflict. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to eliminate, continues to exist. The facilities and machinery, if damaged, will be reconstructed; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the national cohesion that they sought to undermine, but failed to shatter. The nation of Iran have become stronger, more cohesive, and more supportive of the administration and the state in the wake of this attack."