WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump denied reports that he offered Iran relief from sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian funds, describing the claims as false. The denial came in response to a report by Axios citing unnamed U.S. officials who said Trump was prepared to provide sanctions relief in exchange for concrete steps by Iran on its nuclear program.

In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump asserted that he had not offered Iran any concessions, branding the news report as a "hoax" and calling on Axios to retract the story. The Axios article suggested that the Trump administration could be willing to ease certain punitive measures on Iran if progress was made in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear activities.

The developments coincide with increased diplomatic engagement surrounding the Iran nuclear issue. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, was scheduled to meet with Qatari mediators in New York on Monday. Last week, U.S. and Iranian officials reportedly held talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, although the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported Monday that no further direct discussions between Tehran and Washington were planned at this time.

On Saturday, President Trump publicly rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global oil shipments. However, on Sunday, Trump told Axios he anticipated that negotiations with Iran would resume in the coming days, signaling ongoing diplomatic efforts despite the conflicting accounts.

The contrasting statements reflect persistent ambiguity in the state of U.S.-Iran relations, with neither side confirming substantive progress toward a renewed nuclear agreement.