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Iran is ready to reinitiate nuclear talks with Washington provided that it is approached with "dignity" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has announced.

Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy was effective, and disclosed new appeals had come from intermediaries to resume discussions with the American leadership. He asserted Iran possessed no undeclared nuclear sites, and Tehran could not yet allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect struck enrichment centers for security reasons.

Walking a Challenging Path

Araghchi is navigating a challenging path since Iran wishes not to appear to be operating from a stance of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen stronger defensively and emotionally from the joint assault on its nuclear sites in June.

He was talking 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 main reason of the deadlock in the previous talks.

Earlier Discussions Suddenly Terminated

The prior phases of discussions between the US and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when Israel, with US support, targeted Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that ended with the American leader claiming the locations had been obliterated. Following this, Western states exercised their right to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran maintains they have not had a significant effect.

Ideal Resolution Proposed

Iran's diplomats said they felt they had achieved a "magic solution" to the enrichment issue in previous talks, when it was agreed an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could refine atomic fuel. The two nations would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be certain that Iran's atomic project was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that American atomic experts could work within Iranian territory, but that was a natural consequence of the consortium proposal. Representatives stated repeatedly they had secured an understanding with the US representative the US official only for the arrangement to disintegrate due to "spoilers in Washington".

Current Situation

Iranian officials said the cooperative arrangement was now off the table, but it seems quite possible the offer could be reintroduced in certain ways if discussions resume.

The American leader last week said he had been obtaining communications that Iran desired to resume discussions, but confidentially Tehran representatives say they are not yet getting clear proposals from Washington either explicitly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the face of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts diplomacy is not part of a show.

Political Standpoint

In his remarks to the forum, designed to paint the US as a controlling nation that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi declared the 12-day war revealed the dispute could not be resolved by military means. He said the assaults started with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and ended with an absolute demand for a halt to hostilities.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were executed with complete American awareness and coordination, making faith difficult to reestablish.

Diplomacy Stays the Primary Answer

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was the United States and the Western nations that had consistently sought to enforce their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be viable and remains the final resolution to settle disagreements, but its standards, regulations and principles must be followed."

"Provided that they address to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of respect and honor, they will obtain a response in the identical tone."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Tehran representatives as the struggle of repair and recovery, 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 restored. We acquired multiple understandings from this conflict; we have identified our own weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of the adversary."

He added: "We successfully passed this conflict. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, remains in place. The installations and machinery, if destroyed, will be restored; what is crucial is the will of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to destroy. The citizens of Tehran have grown more resilient, more cohesive, and more endorsing of the administration and the country in the aftermath of this assault."