US-Iran war: Trump rejects report that US will offer Tehran ‘sanctions relief’; Araghchi meets the mediators | Top updates | Today’s news

Hours after a report citing U.S. officials suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump was willing to offer sanctions relief and release frozen Iranian funds in exchange for specific Iranian steps on its nuclear program, Trump dismissed the report, criticizing the news outlet and calling the story a “hoax.”

The development comes as the war in the Middle East drags on, with the US president rejecting a previously proposed seven-day ceasefire with Iran, saying: “They made a proposal but I rejected it,” adding: “They want to do a deal where they open the strait immediately because they are losing so badly.”

Here are the main updates related to the US-Iran war:

1. In a Truth Social post Monday (local time), the US president wrote: “Axios just published a report that ‘Trump’ offered Iran sanctions relief and a fund freeze. That’s not true. I offered them NOTHING!” He added: “The Axios story, like most others, is a HOAX, used solely for the purpose of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome. They should take down this bogus story IMMEDIATELY!” His remarks came after Axios quoted an unnamed US official as noting that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues to grow with the naval blockade and sanctions in place. The official added that the White House needs assurances from Tehran this time.

A similar report was shared by CNN, where a US official confirmed that if Tehran offers “concrete progress” on the nuclear issue, the US may be willing to provide sanctions relief and release some of Iran’s frozen funds.

2. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has been in the US since last week to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said on Monday that the two warring parties had held indirect talks through Qatari mediators, according to an Al Jazeera report. An Iranian minister told state media that Qatari mediators would convey the ideas discussed at the meeting, adding that he still hoped to receive a final response from Washington by Tuesday. Araghchi noted: “We talked about ideas and how to find a solution, how to meet Iran’s conditions and how to implement those conditions,” adding: “They had some ideas and we had a discussion that they will also present to the American side.”

3. Oil prices extended their gains for a second straight session on Tuesday, with concerns about possible disruptions to Middle East oil supplies amid the US-Iran conflict outweighing signs of a recovery in regional exports. By 0326 GMT, Brent crude futures were up $1.49, or 1.4 percent, at $106.77 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up $1.34, or 1.5 percent, at $93.94. Both benchmarks ended the previous session almost $1 higher, Reuters reported.

4. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that Trump acted to prevent Tehran from reaching the “line of immunity” where it could build enough missiles, drones and other weapons to make military action against its nuclear program much more difficult. In an interview with Fox News, Rubio noted that the Islamic Republic’s broader strategy was to strengthen its conventional arsenal, deter outside intervention and then move toward a potential nuclear breakthrough.

5. Oil exports from major Middle Eastern producers rose to 16.328 million barrels per day (bpd) in September, the highest level since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran in late February, Kpler data released on Monday showed. Reuters said the increase followed a recovery in supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, which were expected to reach around 9.719 million bpd this month. Saudi Arabia also diverted exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu after the attacks damaged its east-west gas pipeline.