US President Donald Trump denied an Axios report that he offered Iran sanctions relief and frozen funds, calling the story “untrue” and a “HOAX”.
US President Donald Trump has rejected a report which claimed that he was willing to offer Iran sanctions relief and release frozen Iranian funds in return for concrete steps on Tehran’s nuclear programme, saying he had offered Iran “nothing”.
Trump made the clarification in a post on Truth Social on Monday, directly disputing the report and demanding that Axios withdraw what he described as a false story.
“Axios just released a story that ‘Trump’ offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!” Trump wrote.
He further accused Axios of publishing what he called a “hoax” and said the report was being used to serve what he referred to as “Trump Derangement Syndrome”.
“Axios’ story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome. They should withdraw this fake story, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump said.
According to the report, Washington was prepared to provide economic relief to Tehran as part of efforts to secure Iranian commitments on its nuclear programme.
The report had cited unnamed US officials and said the proposal was part of indirect diplomatic efforts involving mediators from Qatar and Pakistan.
Trump, however, did not qualify his denial or indicate that he had made any such offer to Iran.
His post also comes amid renewed diplomatic activity between Washington and Tehran, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York and Qatari mediators involved in efforts to find a way forward.
According to AFP, US and Iranian officials met the previous week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA subsequently reported that Tehran had no further direct talks with Washington scheduled.