Trump denies report of offering Iran sanctions relief

NEW YORK - US President Donald Trump on Monday denied a media report that his administration had offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.

"Axios just released a story that 'Trump' offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING! Axios' story, like most others, is a HOAX," Trump wrote on social media.

Trump demands Axios "IMMEDIATELY" withdraw the story.

The Axios story came after Trump rejected an Iran-proposed ceasefire deal over the weekend.

Iran's proposed peace deal demands a suspension of the US blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Iran reopening the rest of the strait and resuming talks over its nuclear program, local media reported.

In response to Trump's rejection of its peace proposal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that it is "up to President Trump to choose" between diplomacy and continuing the war.

"We are fully prepared for the war to be resumed. We stand firm in the face of any new aggression, even if it comes to a doomsday war," Araghchi said.