President Trump on Monday forcefully denied a report from Axios claiming he offered Iran sanctions relief and unfrozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Trump took to Truth Social to reject the story, calling it a fabrication designed to fuel what he described as media bias against his administration.
“Axios just released a story that ‘Trump’ offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran,” Trump wrote. “This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!”
Trump went further in his post, demanding the outlet retract its coverage immediately and calling the reporting a deliberate mischaracterization of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
“Axios’ story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome. They should withdraw this fake story, IMMEDIATELY!” he wrote.
The Axios report, citing U.S. officials, said the potential relief was being discussed as mediators from Qatar and Pakistan worked to facilitate a deal between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.
Those mediators met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York City on Monday, with Qatari representatives expected to meet with the Trump administration later that day or on Tuesday.
A U.S. official told Axios that the indirect talks had been “positive and constructive,” and that Iran “has indicated they are flexible on the nuclear issues.”
The same official made clear that no deal would be reached unless Iran’s nuclear program was fully “addressed,” signaling that the administration views that issue as non-negotiable in any potential agreement.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz offered additional context, explaining that Trump ultimately rejected an Iranian proposal because Tehran demanded too much too soon.
“They were asking for relief from billions and billions of sanctions that are going into place as Operation Economic Fury, but also snapback sanctions from the United Nations that have been in place for many years,” Waltz said.
Waltz made those remarks during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper, confirming that Iran had asked for “everything up front” before any nuclear commitments were made.
The competing accounts highlight the tensions surrounding sensitive back-channel diplomacy, where public statements from officials often diverge sharply from what negotiators discuss in private sessions.
The situation underscores how delicate the negotiations remain, with both sides appearing to probe for flexibility while carefully managing their public messaging to domestic and international audiences.
