President Donald Trump is disputing an Axios report that his administration is prepared to offer Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen assets in exchange for nuclear concessions, even as U.S. and Iranian officials continue indirect negotiations through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump demanded Monday that Axios withdraw a report saying he was prepared to offer Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen Iranian assets in exchange for concessions on Tehran’s nuclear program, issuing an unequivocal denial as mediators continued trying to negotiate an end to the U.S.-Iran war.
Trump responded to the report Monday evening in a Truth Social post, saying no such economic incentives had been offered to Tehran.
“Axios just released a story that ‘Trump’ offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!” Trump wrote.
“Axios’ story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome,” he added. “They should withdraw this fake story, IMMEDIATELY!”
Axios subsequently updated its article to include Trump’s denial but did not withdraw its reporting. The outlet continues to report, based on unidentified U.S. officials, that Trump is willing to consider sanctions relief and the release of Iranian funds if Iran takes “concrete” steps concerning its nuclear program.
The competing accounts emerged during another round of indirect diplomacy involving Washington and Tehran.
According to Axios, Qatari and Pakistani mediators were working Monday to bridge substantial differences between the two governments. Mediators were meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York over a Qatari proposal that had been under discussion for several days, while Qatari representatives were expected to meet Trump administration officials Monday or Tuesday.
One U.S. official with knowledge of the indirect negotiations characterized the discussions as “positive and constructive,” while saying major disagreements remained.
The administration’s principal demand centers on Iran’s nuclear program, while Tehran has focused heavily on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the U.S. naval blockade and economic pressure.
Axios reported that the unidentified U.S. official said Iran had shown flexibility on nuclear matters but that no agreement would be possible unless those issues were resolved. The two governments also remained divided over the sequence and timing of concessions.
Trump had publicly rejected Iran’s latest proposal Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Tehran was seeking an agreement because of the pressure it was experiencing in the conflict.
“We’re winning tremendously,” Trump said. “We have total control of the Hormuz Strait.”
Trump said Iran wanted a deal and acknowledged that he also favors negotiated agreements, but he said the proposal presented by Tehran was unacceptable.
His rejection did not end the diplomatic effort. Mediators continued discussions in New York as officials explored whether the two sides could reach terms addressing both Iran’s nuclear activities and restrictions affecting the Strait of Hormuz.
The narrow waterway has become one of the central issues in the conflict because of its importance to international energy shipments and the economic consequences of disruptions to commercial traffic.
The administration believes those pressures are improving Washington’s negotiating position.
“The U.S. position gets stronger every day,” a U.S. official told Axios, while maintaining that Trump remains committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Axios also reported that the administration remains skeptical of Iranian commitments following previous agreements.
Monday’s disagreement over possible economic concessions is particularly notable because sanctions relief and frozen Iranian assets have already been elements of previous negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
A U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding announced in June established an interim framework under which sanctions on Iranian oil sales were temporarily relaxed during negotiations. The framework also addressed frozen Iranian assets and contemplated broader economic relief if the two countries reached a final nuclear agreement.
That earlier framework does not establish that Trump made the offer Axios reported this week.
The current dispute instead concerns what, if anything, the administration has privately communicated through mediators during the latest round of negotiations.
Axios attributes its account to U.S. officials familiar with the talks. Trump says the report is false and that he offered Iran no sanctions relief or frozen assets.
The White House position expressed publicly by Trump is therefore substantially different from the account provided by the officials cited by Axios.
Trump’s response was categorical: “I offered them NOTHING!”
Axios, meanwhile, has left its underlying report in place while adding the president’s denial, leaving two conflicting accounts of what economic incentives Washington may be prepared to discuss as negotiators attempt to reach an agreement with Tehran.
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