Iran has been under crippling US economic sanctions since the US unilaterally withdrew last May from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or Iran Nuclear Deal). Relations between Washington and Tehran have since deteriorated, with the sanctions accompanied by a military buildup in the Persian Gulf and back-and-forth threats from both sides.
But, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump gave a vague hint that detente could be on the way. “We’ll see what happens,” he said, when asked about easing sanctions on Iran, with a view to meeting Rouhani at the UN General Assembly later this month.
