President Donald Trump winks as the members of the media depart the Oval Office of the White House as Essar Capital Director Prashant Ruia, from left, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, John Jovanovic, chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa., and Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, look on, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump Denies Offering Iran Sanctions Relief, Release of Frozen Funds
US President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for concrete concessions on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Trump rejected the reports on Monday, describing them as false after Axios reported, citing unnamed US officials, that his administration was willing to provide sanctions relief and release Iranian funds as part of a potential deal.
“This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
CNN separately reported, also citing an unidentified US official, that Trump was prepared to offer similar concessions if Iran demonstrated concrete progress on the nuclear issue.
The conflicting reports emerged as US and Iranian officials engaged separately with mediators in a renewed diplomatic effort aimed at ending the seven-month conflict between Washington and Tehran.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran is prepared to negotiate over its nuclear programme and other issues but would not accept what he described as pressure or coercion.
Iran maintains that it is not seeking nuclear weapons and insists it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also said that diplomacy remains the route to resolving the conflict, while Tehran has linked any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the fulfilment of conditions under discussion with mediators.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major issue in the negotiations because it is a crucial route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Disruptions linked to the conflict have contributed to higher energy prices and increased concerns about global supplies.
Trump had rejected an earlier Iranian proposal concerning the reopening of the waterway, while Araghchi said Tehran was awaiting a formal response through mediators.
The latest disagreement over the reported sanctions offer adds uncertainty to the diplomatic efforts, with Washington and Tehran yet to announce a final agreement on the nuclear programme or the broader conflict.
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