US President Donald Trump is denying reports that Washington offered Iran sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds in exchange for concrete steps on its nuclear programme.
Trump addressed the reports on Monday, writing on Truth Social, quote, “This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING.”
His comments came after an Axios report claimed, citing unnamed US officials, that Trump was willing to provide sanctions relief and release frozen Iranian assets as part of a potential agreement with Tehran.
According to the report, the offer would depend on Iran taking what Washington considers concrete steps regarding its nuclear programme.
CNN separately reported a similar account, also citing an unidentified US official, saying Trump was prepared to consider sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds as part of a final deal, provided Iran demonstrated concrete progress on the nuclear issue.
But Trump has rejected those reports outright.
The dispute comes as diplomatic efforts intensify to try to end the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
US and Iranian officials held separate discussions with mediators on Monday as part of renewed efforts to find a path toward ending the fighting.
The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
Tehran responded with strikes targeting Israel and Gulf states that host US military bases.
The conflict has since caused widespread casualties and displacement across the region.
Trump has repeatedly identified Iran’s nuclear capabilities as one of the central objectives of the US military campaign.
But Iran maintains that it is not seeking nuclear weapons.
Tehran says its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes and argues that, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has the right to develop civilian nuclear technology.
The United States, meanwhile, is itself a nuclear-armed state.
The disagreement over possible sanctions relief and frozen Iranian funds therefore comes at a critical moment for diplomacy.
If reports of a potential US offer are accurate, sanctions relief could become an important element in negotiations.
But Trump’s public statement makes clear that, at least for now, he is rejecting the characterization that he has offered Tehran such concessions.
With mediators continuing their efforts and both Washington and Tehran maintaining very different positions on Iran’s nuclear programme, the question now is whether diplomacy can produce a concrete agreement — or whether the conflict will continue.
For now, President Trump says one thing clearly:
“I offered them NOTHING.”
