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Iran is prepared to reinitiate nuclear negotiations with the United States on condition that it is treated with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's foreign minister has announced.

Abbas Araghchi said exclusively dialogue was effective, and disclosed recent overtures had originated from mediators to reopen talks with the Trump administration. He asserted Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the UN nuclear inspectorate to visit bombed nuclear sites for security reasons.

Navigating a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is treading a challenging path since Iran does not want be seen to be proceeding from a situation of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out stronger militarily and mentally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking at a strategic meeting in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel domestically that it will never give up" – the key factor of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Talks Abruptly Ended

The previous five rounds of negotiations between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile conclusion on 12 June when Israel, with US support, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that culminated with the US president claiming the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, Western states employed their right to reimpose UN-wide sanctions, but Iran maintains they have not had a significant effect.

Ideal Resolution Offered

Iranian officials stated they felt they had attained a "magic solution" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was agreed an local partnership with US participation could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to assert triumph since local refinement would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's atomic project was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Diplomats claimed repeatedly they had achieved a deal with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington".

Existing Status

Iranian officials said the consortium offer was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the proposal could be resurrected in various formats if discussions restart.

The US president last week said he had been receiving messages that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Iran's diplomats state they are not yet receiving coherent offers from the United States either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, Egypt, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of passivity in the face of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Tehran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.

Diplomatic Stance

In his address to the gathering, designed to portray the US as a controlling nation that abuses the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the two-week conflict showed the clash could not be ended by armed force. He asserted the strikes began with a US demand for an total Iran submission and ended with an unconditional call for a truce.

Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were executed with full US knowledge and cooperation, making confidence hard to restore.

Negotiations Continues the Primary Answer

Araghchi stated: "It was not Iran that had deserted negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had repeatedly attempted to dictate their will during the talks. Negotiations can still be alive and stays the primary solution to resolve disagreements, but its criteria, regulations and principles must be followed."

"In case they address to the Iranian people with the language of respect and honor, they will obtain a answer in the equivalent language."

Recovery and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of recovery and rebuilding, Araghchi said he was confident Iran's military capacities "have significantly improved than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Our entire military infrastructure have been rebuilt. We gained numerous insights from this engagement; we have come to know our personal limitations and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."

He added: "We effectively endured this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they intended to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and equipment, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is essential is the determination of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but did not succeed to shatter. The Iranian people have grown stronger, more united, and more supportive of the government and the country in the wake of this assault."