President Donald Trump has stated that Iran has asked for heavy US sanctions to be lifted. During a dinner with Central Asian leaders, he expressed a willingness to engage in discussions on the matter.
“Frankly, Iran has been asking if the sanctions could be lifted,” Trump said. He acknowledged the severe impact of the measures, adding, “I’m open to hearing that, and we’ll see what happens.”
The United States reimposed tough sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the 2015 international nuclear accord in 2018. These measures have significantly pressured Iran’s economy.
Nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran, which began in April, were derailed by a 12-day war between Iran and Israel. That conflict included a brief US intervention with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump on Iran sanctions:
“Iran has been asking if the sanctions could be lifted. Iran has got very heavy US sanctions. Makes it very hard for them to do what they would like to be able to do. And I’m open to hearing that. See what happens.” pic.twitter.com/MmJGqWOEMg
— Dhairya Maheshwari (@dhairyam14) November 7, 2025President Trump claimed the strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, though the full extent of the damage remains unverified. He stated that Iran, once the “bully of the Middle East,” no longer has the “possibility of nuclear weapons.”
In September, the United Nations reinstated sanctions on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities. This followed a process triggered by European powers.
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Oman, which has historically mediated talks, has called for both the US and Iran to return to the negotiating table. The goal of the stalled talks was to reach a new agreement that would curb Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
President Trump’s recent comments indicate a potential opening for renewed diplomatic engagement on this complex issue.
