Trump denies sanctions relief

United States President Donald Trump has denied a news report claiming Washington offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds, calling it a "hoax" amid growing domestic calls to end the conflict with Iran.

Trump took to social media to contest the claims, saying they were "untrue".

"I offered them nothing! Axios' story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome," said Trump of the US-based media outlet, demanding it withdraw the "fake story".

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on the final day of his trip to the UN General Assembly on Monday, urging the UN to condemn US aggression.

According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, Araghchi cited two rounds of US and Israeli attacks on Iran within less than a year, occurring amid negotiations, along with an ongoing naval blockade and economic pressure.

Araghchi said Iran would continue to pursue accountability and justice for those responsible for war crimes.

The Iranian foreign minister said that Tehran has consistently favored diplomacy to safeguard its national interests and regional peace, adding that the US has repeatedly abandoned diplomatic commitments over the past decade, contributing to instability in the Middle East.

According to a UN readout on Monday, Guterres and Araghchi exchanged views on the ongoing regional conflict.

"The Secretary-General welcomed the diplomatic efforts that have been taking place during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week, and which aimed at ending the conflict. He urged the parties to sustain these efforts and resolve their outstanding differences through negotiations to achieve peace," the readout said.

Iranian media reported on Monday that Araghchi met with Qatari mediators in New York, adding that Washington's formal response was "hopefully" expected by Tuesday.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi appealed directly to US citizens at a news conference on Tuesday through a letter, Iranian media reported.

Mohebbi said the goal of the letter to the American people "goes beyond media publicity and is aimed at creating familiarity with Iran's logic", Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported.

The spokesman noted that, unlike the US, which has many television and radio networks that enable it to communicate with other nations, Iran faces limitations in operating inside US territory.

Conveying a message

"For this reason, choosing a letter as a tool to convey our message directly and clearly is a solution that was selected based on the realities that exist," Mohebbi was quoted as saying.

He questioned Washington's purpose in deploying 800 US military bases around the world and the economic and logical justification for spending $1.1 trillion on the US military budget. The US administration has sought a record $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request despite concerns and skepticism.

Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Monday regarding political and security developments in the Middle East.

A US Department of State news release said the two continued discussions at the UN General Assembly on bilateral cooperation on regional security and stability.

According to a post on X by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Saudi foreign minister and Rubio reviewed the strategic Saudi-US relationship and ways to further strengthen and develop it across various fields in support of mutual interests.

They also discussed regional and international developments, including security and political developments in the region, the situation in Yemen, and ongoing efforts to address it.