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Iran is willing to restart atomic talks with Washington as long as it is approached with "respect" and "respect", Tehran's top diplomat has stated.

Abbas Araghchi said only diplomacy produced results, and disclosed recent overtures had been made by go-betweens to restart discussions with the American leadership. He said Iran had zero secret atomic facilities, and Iran could not yet allow the global atomic watchdog to inspect attacked atomic facilities for protective measures.

Walking a Difficult Route

The foreign minister is walking a complex course since Iran wishes not to appear to be operating from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had emerged more powerful defensively and emotionally from the joint assault on its enrichment centers in June.

He was talking at a defense forum in Tehran where he reiterated that Iran had "a fundamental entitlement to refine atomic fuel within its borders that it will never give up" – the key factor of the deadlock in the earlier negotiations.

Previous Discussions Unexpectedly Ended

The prior phases of talks between the United States and Iran were concluded unexpectedly and hostile termination on 12 June when the Israeli government, with Washington's assistance, struck Iran's enrichment centers in a 12-day war that culminated with Donald Trump declaring the sites had been eliminated. Afterward, EU nations exercised their authority to restore global restrictions, but Iran insists they have not had a substantial consequence.

Ideal Resolution Suggested

Tehran representatives said they felt they had achieved a "magic solution" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could process nuclear material. Both sides would have been able to declare success since home-based processing would have remained and the US could be confident that Iran's enrichment initiative was exclusively peaceful.

It had not been decided in the negotiations that Washington's technical specialists could work within Iranian territory, but that was a logical implication of the consortium proposal. Diplomats stated three times they had secured an understanding with Washington's diplomat Steve Witkoff only for the agreement to collapse due to "opponents in the US".

Present Status

Tehran representatives said the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be revived in various formats if negotiations restart.

Trump recently claimed he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to resume discussions, but in private Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving clear proposals from the United States either explicitly or from key regional mediators, such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran asserts dialogue is not part of a show.

Negotiating Standpoint

In his address to the conference, designed to portray the US as a hegemonic power that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, the foreign minister said the 12-day war revealed the conflict could not be resolved by combat operations. He asserted the attacks began with a American requirement for an unconditional Iranian surrender and ended with an complete request for a ceasefire.

Iran is convinced the first strikes by Israel were executed with full US knowledge and cooperation, making faith difficult to restore.

Negotiations Stays the Primary Answer

Araghchi said: "It was not Iran that had deserted diplomacy; it was the United States and the Western nations that had repeatedly sought to enforce their will during the negotiations. Negotiations can still be active and continues the ultimate resolution to address disputes, but its standards, rules and principles must be followed."

"If they speak to the nation of Iran with the approach of dignity and honor, they will get a reply in the identical approach."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of repair and recovery, Araghchi stated he was certain Iran's security strengths "are much stronger than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We acquired numerous insights from this engagement; we have discovered our own weaknesses and the shortcomings of the enemy."

He added: "We successfully passed this conflict. Our enrichment knowledge, which they planned to destroy, continues to exist. The installations and gear, if damaged, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the determination of the citizens of Tehran and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but failed to break. The citizens of Tehran have grown stronger, more integrated, and more endorsing of the government and the state in the wake of this attack."