Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran is ready to resume nuclear pact negotiations with the United States. He made it clear that talks must happen with “dignity and respect”.

In an interview with The Guardian, Araghchi said only diplomacy can ease the long-running tension between Iran and the West.

He revealed that intermediaries had recently asked both sides to restart discussions with the Trump administration. Araghchi insisted that Iran had no secret nuclear sites. He also said Tehran could not yet allow UN nuclear inspectors to visit bombed nuclear locations because of security concerns.

While addressing the recent Israel-US strikes on three nuclear facilities, he said Iran had emerged stronger “militarily and psychologically” despite the damage.

He repeated Iran’s long-standing position that the country has an absolute right to enrich uranium at home. He said Tehran “will never give up” that right — the main reason earlier talks collapsed.

Iran Believes a Previous Breakthrough Is Still Possible

Iranian officials said they once found a “magic solution” to the enrichment dispute. Both sides had discussed creating an Iran-based consortium, with US involvement, to handle enrichment.
Under that plan, Iran would continue domestic enrichment, while the US would gain assurances that the programme stayed peaceful. Both sides viewed it as a workable compromise.

Officials also claimed they reached an agreement three times with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. However, they said each deal later fell apart because of “spoilers in Washington”.

Iran’s optimism returned last week after President Donald Trump said he had received messages indicating Tehran wanted to restart talks.

Offers From Washington Still Unclear

Despite signals from both sides, Iran says it has not yet received clear or consistent proposals from the US. These concerns also extend to regional mediators such as Qatar, Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Some critics have accused Iran’s foreign ministry of being passive in response to Trump’s direct and forceful style. Tehran rejected that claim, saying diplomacy “is not part of a show”.

Araghchi stressed that Iran survived the recent attacks and remains determined.

“We successfully passed this war. Our nuclear technology, which they intended to destroy, remains in place. The facilities and equipment, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is important is the will of the Iranian people and then the national cohesion that they targeted, but failed to break. The Iranian people have become stronger, more united, and more supportive of the government and the state in the face of this invasion," he added.