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Tehran is ready to restart atomic negotiations with the United States as long as it is approached with "respect" and "honor", Tehran's foreign minister has declared.

The Iranian diplomat said exclusively dialogue worked, and disclosed new appeals had originated from go-betweens to reopen talks with the US government. He asserted Iran did not have unreported enrichment locations, and Iran was not yet able to authorize the global atomic watchdog to visit attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.

Walking a Difficult Path

The foreign minister is treading a challenging path since Iran wishes not to be seen to be operating from a situation of vulnerability, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had arisen more powerful in military terms and mentally from the Israeli-US attack on its atomic facilities in June.

He was talking at a security conference 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 deadlock in the prior discussions.

Previous Talks Abruptly Concluded

The previous five rounds of talks between the US and Iran were ended suddenly and acrimonious end on 12 June when the Israeli government, with American backing, struck Iranian nuclear sites in a two-week conflict that ended with the US president asserting the facilities had been obliterated. Afterward, EU nations exercised their authority to reinstate international penalties, but Iran insists they have not had a significant effect.

Magic Solution Offered

Iran's diplomats stated they felt they had achieved a "ideal resolution" to the uranium processing matter in earlier negotiations, when it was settled an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could enrich uranium. Both sides would have been able to assert triumph since domestic enrichment would have persisted and the US could be assured that Iran's nuclear programme was entirely non-military.

It had not been decided in the talks that American atomic experts could operate on Iranian soil, but that was a logical implication of the partnership suggestion. Representatives claimed repeatedly they had reached agreement with the US representative the US official only for the agreement to collapse due to "detractors in America".

Existing Situation

Iranian officials said the partnership proposal was now no longer available, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be revived in some form if discussions reopen.

The US president recently said he had been receiving messages that Iran desired to resume discussions, but privately Iranian officials state they are not yet receiving clear proposals from the United States either explicitly or from important Middle Eastern intermediaries, such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and the Saudi kingdom. The Iranian foreign ministry has been charged of inactivity in the wake of the US president's straightforward manner, but Tehran asserts diplomacy is not part of a performance.

Negotiating Stance

In his address to the gathering, designed to depict the US as a dominant force that exploits the notion of global regulations, the foreign minister declared the two-week conflict revealed the conflict could not be settled by armed force. He asserted the strikes began with a Washington's ultimatum for an total Iran submission and concluded with an unconditional call for a ceasefire.

Iran is assured the first strikes by Israel were carried out with full US knowledge and cooperation, making confidence challenging to rebuild.

Dialogue Remains the Final Answer

The foreign minister said: "It was not Iran that had abandoned dialogue; it was America and the Western nations that had always attempted to dictate their will during the discussions. Diplomacy can still be viable and stays the final answer to resolve conflicts, but its criteria, rules and fundamentals must be adhered to."

"In case they speak to the nation of Iran with the tone of respect and honor, they will get a answer in the equivalent tone."

Recovery and Reconstruction

In what is described by Iran's diplomats as the struggle of repair and reconstruction, the foreign minister stated he was confident Iran's defence capabilities "are considerably enhanced than preceding 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been reestablished. We learned numerous insights from this conflict; we have come to know our internal vulnerabilities and the weaknesses of the opponent."

He stated: "We managed to survive this engagement. Our atomic expertise, which they aimed to destroy, continues to exist. The facilities and equipment, if eliminated, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the determination of the citizens of Tehran and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but failed to destroy. The nation of Iran have grown stronger, more integrated, and more backing of the leadership and the country in the aftermath of this assault."