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Iran is ready to resume atomic discussions with Washington as long as it is handled with "respect" and "respect", Iran's top diplomat has declared.

Abbas Araghchi declared only diplomacy produced results, and shared new appeals had originated from go-betweens to resume negotiations with the American leadership. He claimed Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Tehran had not yet reached a point to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect struck enrichment centers for safety concerns.

Navigating a Complex Route

Araghchi is navigating a challenging path since Iran aims to avoid be seen to be proceeding from a situation of weakness, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more resilient in military terms and emotionally from the Israeli-US attack on its enrichment centers in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel on home soil that it will always maintain" – the main reason of the stalemate in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Talks Suddenly Concluded

The earlier sessions of negotiations between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, attacked Iran's enrichment centers in a two-week conflict that concluded with the US president claiming the sites had been obliterated. Subsequently, EU nations used their right to restore UN-wide sanctions, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Magic Solution Suggested

Iran's diplomats claimed they felt they had reached a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was agreed an domestic cooperative with US participation could refine atomic fuel. Each party would have been able to claim victory since domestic enrichment would have remained and the US could be assured that Iran's enrichment initiative was entirely non-military.

It had not been settled in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could function inside Iran, but that was a reasonable assumption of the partnership suggestion. Diplomats asserted repeatedly they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat the US official only for the agreement to fall apart due to "spoilers in Washington".

Present Position

Iranian officials stated the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems highly likely the suggestion could be reintroduced in certain ways if discussions resume.

Trump last week claimed he had been getting signals that Iran wanted to reopen negotiations, but confidentially Iran's diplomats state they are not yet receiving clear proposals from Washington either directly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the aftermath of Trump's direct instinctive approach, but Iran says negotiations is not part of a performance.

Political Position

In his speech to the forum, intended to portray the US as a hegemonic power that exploits the concept of international law, the foreign minister said the fortnight-long engagement showed the clash could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the strikes started with a Washington's ultimatum for an unconditional Iranian surrender and concluded with an absolute demand for a ceasefire.

Iran is certain the first strikes by Israel were executed with full US knowledge and cooperation, making trust hard to rebuild.

Negotiations Continues the Final Resolution

Araghchi stated: "It was not Iran that had abandoned diplomacy; it was America and the western countries that had always tried to dictate their demands during the talks. Negotiations can still be alive and remains the final solution to address disagreements, but its standards, guidelines and tenets must be respected."

"In case they talk to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and respect, they will obtain a reply in the identical approach."

Restoration and Reconstruction

In what is portrayed by Iranian officials as the conflict of restoration and reconstruction, Araghchi claimed he was assured Iran's military capacities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We acquired numerous insights from this conflict; we have discovered our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the opponent."

He added: "We effectively endured this war. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to destroy, remains in place. The installations and machinery, if destroyed, will be reconstructed; what is important is the determination of the Iranian people and then the social solidarity that they sought to undermine, but failed to shatter. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more integrated, and more supportive of the administration and the country in the face of this invasion."