Iran wants to revive talks over accepting the return of failed asylum seekers after the Albanese government’s bid to force deportations threatened to put the Islamic Republic on a blacklist of countries whose citizens would be banned from travelling to Australia.

As Immigration Minister Andrew Giles continues to battle a political firestorm over non-citizens convicted of serious offences being allowed to stay in Australia, Iran’s top local diplomat has emerged with an unlikely offer to breathe new life into negotiations for a “readmission agreement” for Iranians, which have been on hold since 2018.