President Donald Trump denied that he offered Iran sanctions relief or access to frozen funds, disputing reports that cited U.S. officials, as mediators worked Tuesday to keep talks on ending the seven-month war alive.
"I offered them NOTHING," Trump wrote Monday night on Truth Social. He called the Axios report a hoax and demanded that the outlet withdraw it.
Axios and CNN both reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that Trump was willing to ease sanctions and release Iranian funds as part of a final deal if Tehran showed concrete progress on its nuclear program, according to Reuters. One official described the indirect talks as positive and constructive but said no agreement was possible unless the nuclear issue was addressed.
Qatar and Pakistan are carrying messages between the two sides. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatari mediators in New York on Monday, Axios reported. Araghchi said Tehran is waiting for the mediators to deliver Washington's final position before deciding its next move, Reuters reported.
The Strait of Hormuz sits at the center of the standoff. Araghchi said last week that Iran's proposal would start a seven-day countdown to reopening the waterway and pause fighting across the region. Trump rejected the plan on Saturday, telling reporters Iran wanted a deal because it was losing badly.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump turned it down because Iran wanted everything up front, including relief from sanctions imposed under Operation Economic Fury, The Hill reported. Iran's demands also included lifting the naval blockade of its ports, waivers on oil sanctions and extending any ceasefire to Lebanon, The Associated Press reported.
Iran's tone sharpened Tuesday. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the country's chief negotiator, said that if Iran's security is not guaranteed, no infrastructure in the region would be safe from attack, according to state media cited by CBS News.
Oil prices rose for a second straight session Tuesday on lingering worries over Middle East supply, Reuters reported. Trump told Axios over the weekend that he expects talks this week but is always thinking about resuming strikes.