Trump Denies Offering Iran Sanctions Relief for Talks

Iran's Rouhani says US offer was rejected

Who offered what and who denied what are being disputed, but one thing that seems clear is that the US and Iran have come out of the week of the UN General Assembly with no agreement to meet.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reported that he was given an offer by EU officials on behalf of Trump, in which the US offered full sanction relief for talks with Iran. This was apparently when Iran made statements over the past two days saying they wanted the US to return to the P5+1 deal as the condition for talks.

President Trump, however, said “of course” he didn’t offer that, or indeed any sanctions relief for talks. He added that the US remains committed to maximum sanctions against Iran going, including prohibiting them from selling any oil.

This has been why EU efforts to get the two sides together have continually failed. Iran wants assurances that any US offer is sincere and not going to evaporate at a moment’s notice in the future, while Trump doesn’t want to be accused of giving up anything for talks with Iran.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.