On Monday, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken said President Donald Trump’s reported offer of sanctions relief and access to frozen Iranian funds in exchange for nuclear concessions echoed the Obama-era agreement he helped negotiate.
Trump Offers Iran Sanctions Relief
Axios Journalist Barak Ravid reported that a U.S. official said, “President Trump is willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release of frozen funds for concrete progress on nuclear.”
Blinken Compares Trump, Obama Iran Deals
Blinken shared Ravid’s post on X and said the proposal resembled the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
“President Trump is now offering Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for concrete steps on its nuclear program,” Blinken wrote.
He added, “Sound familiar? It’s a lot like the nuclear deal President Obama negotiated, which I worked on and which Trump tore up in his first term and replaced with nothing.”
Blinken said that the earlier decision was “a big reason we ended up in this failed war of choice.”
Trump Denies Iran Offer
Trump denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds, calling the report “untrue” and a “HOAX.”
He said, “I offered them NOTHING!” and demanded that Axios withdraw a “fake story.”
Iran-US Talks Continued
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s stay in New York was not extended, while he said Tehran remained open to diplomacy and had held further indirect talks with the U.S. through Qatari mediators.
Araghchi said Qatar had presented new proposals to bridge differences and expected a U.S. response “hopefully” by Tuesday.
Last week, Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day ceasefire proposal and told aides he expected U.S. attacks on Iran to resume after the November midterm elections.
Iran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks in exchange for Washington lifting its economic blockade on Iranian ports.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Lev Radin on Shutterstock.com
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