Rouhani claims Trump offered to drop sanctions in exchange for talks
by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Friday that Trump had offered to drop all sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for talks at the UN General Assembly, a claim Trump later vehemently denied.
The US “had said clearly that we will lift all sanctions,” according to Rouhani, who claimed that he refrained from the offer because of “the toxic atmosphere of maximum pressure,” which the US increased this week by sanctioning six Chinese companies trafficking in Iranian crude oil.
“Our response to any negotiation under sanctions is negative,” Rouhani said in a speech before the UN General Assembly Wednesday. The Islamic Republic in recent months had “resisted the most merciless economic terrorism” from the US, whom he accused of “international piracy.”
Last week Trump topped off the months-long sanctions campaign against Iran’s economy by instructing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to sanction Iran’s Central Bank, which Mnuchin claimed would totally cut off funding to the country.
Iran continues to deny responsibility for a September 14 attack on two Saudi oil sites that temporarily halted 5% of global oil production, while Saudi Arabia, the US, France, Germany, and Britain have laid the blame at the feet of the Islamic Republic.