Trump denies he offered Iran sanctions relief, release of frozen funds

President Donald Trump firmly denied on Monday that he had offered Iran sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds, amid ongoing Middle East tensions. Axios had reported that Trump proposed such concessions for tangible Iranian actions concerning the nuclear program, based on unnamed US officials. The 80-year-old Republican labeled the story a "HOAX" and urged Axios to retract it.

The dispute arises as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to meet with Qatari mediators in New York on Monday. Prior to this, US and Iranian officials held meetings last week during the UN General Assembly. Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that Tehran had no further direct talks scheduled with Washington. Trump publicly rejected a proposal from Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway crucial to global oil and gas trade, which has been blockaded by Iran since Feb 28 due to ongoing US and Israeli strikes.

The conflict has led to a surge in gas and other product prices in the US, coinciding with Trump's declining poll numbers and his party's concerns over losing their congressional majority in the upcoming midterm elections.