Politics

US officials, Trump give conflicting accounts on easing Iran sanctions

A US official told CNN and Al Jazeera that President Trump is ready to ease sanctions on Iran and unfreeze its assets in exchange for concrete nuclear progress, but Trump himself denied Monday making any such offer, calling an Axios report on the matter a hoax. Qatari mediators are meanwhile weighing an Iranian proposal linking sanctions relief to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming talks, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi awaits a final US response on Tuesday.

CNN بالعربيةMonday, September 28, 2026, 19:57Covered by 5 sources

Illustrative photo: US flag flying alongside a state flag on a pole against a clear sky. Photo by Andi Wieser on Unsplash

Why it matters

The gap between US officials' statements and Trump's denial underscores deep uncertainty over the nuclear talks' direction, a matter of direct concern to Gulf states given the link between the file and Strait of Hormuz security and global energy prices.

Background

Iran has faced sweeping U.S. sanctions for years over its nuclear program, and relations between Washington and Tehran have long been marked by intermittent tension, punctuated by mediation efforts from regional players seeking to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for global oil trade, making any reference to it in such talks especially sensitive.

Key points

According to BBC Arabic, the Iranian proposal under discussion through Qatari mediation includes a halt to fighting, alongside sanctions relief, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a resumption of nuclear talks.
CNN and Al Jazeera both attributed the sanctions-relief claim to a single unnamed U.S. official, while Trump's denial was made publicly and directly.

What’s next

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is awaiting a 'final' U.S. response on Tuesday regarding the proposal advanced through Qatari mediation.

How outlets covered it

Outlets agreed on the core facts—Trump's public denial and his description of the Axios report as a 'hoax'—but diverged in emphasis. CNN and Al Jazeera both highlighted an account from an unnamed U.S. official claiming Trump was ready to ease sanctions in exchange for concrete nuclear progress, while Sky News Arabia and RT Arabic focused mainly on Trump's direct denial without mentioning that parallel account. BBC Arabic added a detail absent from the other coverage: that the Iranian proposal under Qatari mediation also includes a halt to fighting.