TEHRAN: European leaders at a United Nations’ summit in the US said Washington was ready to lift sanctions in exchange for talks on a 2015 nuclear deal, claimed Hassan Rouhani, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“The German chancellor, the UK prime minister and France president were there (in New York). They insisted that this meeting happen, and that America, too, is saying that it will lift the sanctions,” Rouhani said on state television.
“The next issue was over what sanctions will be lifted,” he said.
“They insisted that we will lift all sanctions.”
Some European officials offered to “write it down.. This (lifting of sanctions) will happen”, he said.
Rouhani has long emphasised that US-Iran talks cannot happen until Washington lifts sanctions and ends its policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump said such an offer was never made.
“Iran wanted me to lift the sanctions imposed on them in order to meet. I said, of course, NO!” he tweeted.
Tensions have escalated between Iran and the United States since May last year when Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear accord and began reimposing sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.
News Pakistan
