Trump Says Iran Seeking Sanctions Relief, Signals Openness to Talks
President Trump stated, “Frankly, Iran has been asking if sanctions could be lifted. Iran has got very heavy U.S. sanctions, and it makes it really hard… I’m open to hearing that, and we’ll see what happens, but I would be open to it.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran has requested the lifting of the heavy U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran, adding that he is willing to consider discussing the matter.
Speaking during a dinner with Central Asian leaders, President Trump stated, “Frankly, Iran has been asking if sanctions could be lifted. Iran has got very heavy U.S. sanctions, and it makes it really hard… I’m open to hearing that, and we’ll see what happens, but I would be open to it.”
Iran has faced extensive international sanctions for years, particularly after Washington withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 and reinstated punitive measures. Western governments, including the United States, have long accused Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, allegations Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Tensions escalated in mid-June when Israel launched a large-scale bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a brief war that saw U.S. forces join in limited strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The twelve-day conflict disrupted ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington that had resumed in April.
President Trump said Iran, once “the bully of the Middle East,” no longer possessed the ability to pursue nuclear weapons. He has previously claimed that U.S. and Israeli strikes significantly damaged Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, though the full extent of the impact remains unclear.
In September, the United Nations reinstated sanctions on Iran under the “snapback” mechanism after Britain, France, and Germany triggered the process. These sanctions restrict activities related to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Oman, which has facilitated several rounds of dialogue between Washington and Tehran, has urged both sides to return to the negotiating table. Previous talks aimed to secure a renewed agreement limiting Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
