US President Donald Trump Denies Offering Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran, Dismissing Axios Report as a Hoax
WASHINGTON : The U.S. government has emphatically and pointedly denied reports that it granted Iran sanctions relief and the return of frozen funds under President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a public statement, President Trump dismissed the reports as completely baseless:Rejection of Concessions: “Axios just released a story that ‘Trump’ offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I gave them NOTHING! Trump went on social media to say that Axios’ story was a “HOAX,” just like most stories, and called for the media outlet to “take it down now.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said diplomatic efforts and regional mediation are underway, and Iran is completely ready to defend itself.
The Tehran’s stance on its nuclear programme is unchanged but discussions are now concentrated on the situation of the Strait of Hormuz, which is “the key issue” on the negotiating table, Araghchi said.
Mediation efforts: Iran’s Foreign Minister expressed hope that Washington would be reached by mediators in a formal manner soon, while noting that regional countries, such as Qatar and Pakistan, are helping with the indirect talks.