🔗 Share this article Iran Declares It May Rejoin US Atomic Discussions provided that Treated with 'Dignity' and 'Respect' Iran is prepared to reinitiate nuclear talks with the United States provided that it is treated with "dignity" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has announced. Abbas Araghchi stated only diplomacy produced results, and revealed new appeals had originated from go-betweens to reopen negotiations with the Trump administration. He claimed Iran had zero undeclared nuclear sites, and Iran was not yet able to allow the UN nuclear inspectorate to inspect attacked atomic facilities for security reasons. Navigating a Challenging Path Araghchi is walking a difficult path since Iran wishes not to appear to be operating from a situation of disadvantage, and he emphatically stated that Iran had come out more powerful defensively and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June. He was addressing at a defense forum in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an absolute privilege to process nuclear material on home soil that it will never give up" – the primary cause of the impasse in the previous talks. Earlier Discussions Unexpectedly Concluded The previous five rounds of negotiations between the US and Iran were brought to an abrupt and hostile end on 12 June when Israel, with American backing, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a 12-day war that concluded with the US president declaring the facilities had been obliterated. Subsequently, Western states employed their right to reinstate global restrictions, but Iran asserts they have not had a significant effect. Magic Solution Suggested Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had attained a "perfect agreement" to the nuclear fuel concern in prior discussions, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with Washington's engagement could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to claim victory since local refinement would have continued and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military. It had not been decided in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Officials claimed on multiple occasions they had reached agreement with Trump's special envoy the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "spoilers in Washington". Present Status Iran's diplomats stated the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the proposal could be reintroduced in certain ways if talks reopen. Trump last week claimed he had been getting signals that Iran wanted to resume discussions, but in private Iranian officials claim they are not yet obtaining coherent offers from the United States either straightforwardly or from key regional mediators, such as the Qatari government, the Egyptian leadership, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been criticized of non-responsiveness in the face of the US president's straightforward manner, but Iran states dialogue is not part of a show. Negotiating Standpoint In his remarks to the conference, intended to paint the US as a hegemonic power that misuses the notion of international law, the foreign minister declared the 12-day war demonstrated the clash could not be ended by combat operations. He said the assaults started with a American requirement for an complete Tehran capitulation and ended with an complete request for a truce. Iran is certain the initial Israeli attacks were carried out with complete American awareness and cooperation, making trust challenging to restore. Diplomacy Remains the Primary Resolution The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had fled negotiations; it was America and the western countries that had repeatedly tried to dictate their demands during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be viable and remains the primary solution to address disputes, but its criteria, regulations and fundamentals must be respected." "If they speak to the Iranian people with the tone of dignity and respect, they will obtain a reply in the identical language." Repair and Reconstruction In what is portrayed by Iran's diplomats as the battle of restoration and rebuilding, the foreign minister claimed he was certain Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than prior to 13 or 14 June of this year. All our capabilities have been restored. We acquired many lessons from this engagement; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the opponent." He added: "We managed to survive this engagement. Our nuclear technology, which they aimed to obliterate, remains in place. The facilities and machinery, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the resolve of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but failed to shatter. The Iranian people have grown more resilient, more integrated, and more backing of the government and the nation in the aftermath of this invasion."