$30bn for Iran? Never heard of this 'ridiculous idea', says Trump; dismisses report, calls it a 'hoax'
US President Donald Trump (AP)
US President
Donald Trump
on Friday (local time) firmly denied reports in the US media that his administration is
considering
a $30 billion deal to help Iran develop a civil nuclear programme.
"Who in the FAKE NEWS MEDIA is the SleazeBag saying that 'President Trump wants to give Iran $30 billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities.'
Never heard of this ridiculous idea," he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"It's just another HOAX put out by the Fake News in order to demean. These people are SICK!!!," he added.
Trump Truth Social post
Under the alleged proposal, first
reported
by CNN, the Trump administration in recent days has explored possible economic incentives in return for the Iranian regime halting uranium enrichment. Iran would also be allowed to receive assistance from regional countries to help it build the civilian nuclear programme, granting Tehran access to as much as the reported $30 billion.
If true, the potential deal would mark a major reversal in policy for the MAGA leader, who, in his first term, pulled the United States out of the previous Barack Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran, in 2018. At the time, he had argued that the sanctions relief and unfreezing of Iranian assets had provided a 'lifeline of cash" to the regime in Tehran to continue its "malign activities."
Last week, the US struck three key nuclear facilities in Iran amid the conflict between US ally Israel and the Islamic Republic. The following day (June 23) Trump managed to broker a ceasefire deal between the Asian rivals.
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