Trump denies that he offered Iran sanctions relief

US President Donald Trump denied a report by the news outlet Axios that he offered Iran sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds, as the Mideast war drags on.

"Axios just released a story that 'Trump' offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!," Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

The Axios story reported that President Trump "is willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release Iranian frozen funds in return for concrete Iranian steps regarding the nuclear programme." It quoted unnamed US officials.

The 80-year-old Republican called the story "a HOAX" and said the news site should withdraw it.

The reaction comes as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was slated to meet with Qatari mediators yesterday in New York.

US and Iranian officials met last week in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The state news agency IRNA reported that Iran had no more direct talks scheduled with the United States.

On Saturday, Mr Trump publicly rejected a proposal from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He added that he expected talks to resume in the coming days.

The strategic Strait of Hormuz lies at the heart of the conflict. The narrow waterway normally carries a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied gas.

The route has been effectively blockaded by Iran since the war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February.

Prices for gas and other products in the US have risen dramatically since the war began, as Mr Trump faces dwindling popularity in national polls and his party worries about losing their majority in Congress in midterm elections come November.