President Trump said Tuesday that U.S. officials had a three-hour long meeting with Iranian officials on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump described it as a "very good meeting, very productive meeting" when asked about it during his bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and…
Page A5From§Eachthe noon edition — 27 September 2026
Trump's ambassador blames Iran's 'everything up front' demand; it doesn't appear in Iran's own transcript.
As it ran on the front
Let me just read you the order of things, the way they came in off the wire, and then I'll stop for a second.
On the twenty-fifth of August, the United States said it would widen the economic war on Iran to hit Tehran's biggest trading partners too, China included. On the twenty-second of September, the President said he'd sat for three hours with Iranian officials at the United Nations — a very good meeting, he called it, very productive. On the twenty-third, Iran's president told that same United Nations that the United States and Israel are the real terrorists, and an Iranian-American journalist said the President had promised either to annihilate Iran or cut a deal with it after the midterms. On the twenty-sixth, Russia's foreign minister tore into the United States at the same podium, and Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba ended up standing together in the same speech. On the twenty-seventh, a Sunday, Iran put a seven-day plan on the table to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The President rejected it.…
…(cont) That's the list. That's everything I've got written down for that stretch. I'm going to stop there and sit with the last one, because that's the one with two accounts of the same rejection, side by side.
I pass a toll plaza most mornings, the one before the bridge, and you know how that works — you put money on the transponder before you drive through, not after. Mike Waltz, our man at the U.N., said Sunday that the President turned Iran down because "they were asking for everything up front" — relief, he said, from billions and billions of sanctions going into place as something called Operation Economic Fury. That's the toll-plaza arrangement — pay first, drive after. I wrote that down because it's a specific claim. Somebody asked for something, in advance, and that's given as the reason the answer was no.
Except the same day, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said his own thing about that same rejection, and I don't see the toll plaza anywhere in it. What I see is him calling the seven-day plan "a very reasonable plan on the table" — his words — and, separately, telling the Times that the President's own history of contradictory messaging means the rejection might not be his last word on it. Not a sentence in there about billions owed before anything given back. In that same set of remarks, he also said Iran is ready for what he called a doomsday war, and that Iran still doesn't want one. Both of those, from him, the same day.
Five days before all of that, the administration sat in a room with these same Iranian officials for three hours. The President called it very good. Very productive. I don't know what got said in that room. I do know that five days later, the same talks ended in a rejection, a reason for it from a man who wasn't in the room, Ambassador Waltz, and an answer to that reason from the man who was, Araghchi, who doesn't mention the thing he's accused of asking for.
Oh — one more thing before you go, and I'm sorry, I know I keep circling back to it: Waltz says that's what Iran wanted, all of it, before anything came back. Araghchi, in his own words, talks about a reasonable plan and a history of mixed signals — not one sentence about anything owed in advance. So where, in what he actually said, does he ask for it all up front?
“They put an ambassador on television to explain a rejection with a demand that isn't anywhere in the other side's own quoted remarks. That's not diplomacy, that's a sales pitch for a policy its own architects call "billions and billions" of sanctions, with the blame assigned before anyone checks the argument. Read what the foreign minister actually said — the demand isn't there — and ask why the man explaining the no wasn't even in the room for the three-hour meeting five days earlier.”
“Look, you don't hand over billions in sanctions relief on a promise — the President's just refusing to get played twice. Iran wanted everything up front, and honestly, that's a shakedown. Did I say that? That doesn't sound like me — what I mean is, he's being careful with the money. They still sat down together for three hours before any of this, so it's not like the two sides weren't talking.”
Earlier in this story
- Trump rejects Iran's offer, brags about the three-hour meeting anyway, has Rubio call Iran miscalculating. By Lou · the coffee break edition, 27 September 2026
- President rejects Iran's seven-day offer to reopen the Strait and reschedules the bombing for after the midterms; his U.N. ambassador goes on Fox to say the $6.48 diesel came from Ukraine By Lou · the breakfast edition, 27 September 2026
The receipts
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (U.N.) Mike Waltz said Sunday that President Trump rejected Iranian officials’ ceasefire proposal because they asked for “everything up front.” “They were asking for everything up front.
A recently published economic analysis estimates that President Donald Trump’s illegal war with Iran has cost US consumers an average of $1,760 per household—including a total of $121 billion in extra spending on energy alone—since the conflict began less than 8 months ago. The war, which Trump launched without congressional…
The US targeted “clearly identifiable” civilian sites in Minab and Lamerd, killing over 100 children, the UN found.
Delegates from Russia and China had sharp words for the United States’ war with Iran and operations related to Cuba during their Saturday speeches before the United Nations General Assembly. Russia’s foreign affairs minister Sergey Lavrov and China’s Vice President Han Zheng each sided with the Iranian regime over the Trump…
Matt Bell has been farming in North Carolina for more than half his life. He voted for President Trump but said farmers are "fighting for survival" as they combat rising prices.
Matt Bell said he initially supported Trump's policies but now feels he and other farmers were "sold a bill of goods" that there was a plan to "put America's farmers and ranchers first."
A UN fact-finding mission has reported that two US airstrikes which killed at least 178 civilians in Iran constitute war crimes. Plus: Andy Burnham says he is “determined” to hit net zero by 2050, Sweden’s left-of-centre coalition wins the general election, Netanyahu is pushing to strip IDF critics of their citizenship, and the…
EXCLUSIVE — Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher has changed his campaign slogan to remove a reference to President Donald Trump. Hatcher, who ousted incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) in Tennessee’s August primary, ran as a “Pro-Trump”
U.N.-commissioned rights experts say there are "reasonable grounds" to believe the U.S. committed war crimes with strikes that killed scores of Iranian civilians.
Araghchi pointed to Iran's seven-day cease-fire proposal as a "very reasonable plan on the table," despite President Trump's decision to reject that overture.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov attacked the US and its western allies as "warmongers" in a tirade at the UN where he sought to drive a wedge between the US and Europe and justify his country's own bloody invasion of Ukraine.
The Pentagon has failed its audit eight years running - the only major federal agency never to pass one Military Times, 19 December 2025
Pentagon No. 3 frustrates senators in closed-door briefing on Iran war, Trump defense strategyDemocratic and Republican lawmakers alike emerged Thursday from a closed-door briefing frustrated by what they said was a lack of clear answers from Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby on the Trump administration’s National Defense Strategy and the ongoing Iran war. The briefing with the Senate Armed Services Committee started off…
President Donald Trump on Thursday said he is weighing whether or not to "annihilate" Iran in a renewed effort to end the illegal 201-day US-Israeli war of choice, musings that came on the heels of a report by United Nations experts who said the United States likely committed war crimes during earlier attacks on the Middle East nation.…
The Pentagon has failed its audit eight years running - the only major federal agency never to pass one Military Times, 19 December 2025
Tillis supports Hegseth impeachment resolution: 'He needs to go'Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who voted to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is renewing his call for President Trump to fire the Pentagon chief after Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned. “He needs to go, whether it’s impeachment or the most expedient route — just the president to replace him — would be great,”
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fl.), the GOP's gubernatorial nominee in Florida and a close ally of President Trump, has removed certain mentions of the president's name on his website's new layout. In the old layout, a banner at the top of Donalds web page said: “Chip in to Support Trump Endorsed Byron Donalds”
President Trump criticized the media on Saturday following reports that GOP Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.) removed several references to the president’s endorsement of his gubernatorial bid from his campaign website. The president slammed this reporting as “Another Fake Story”
The Pentagon has failed its audit eight years running - the only major federal agency never to pass one Military Times, 19 December 2025
Senate Democrats, minus Fetterman, urge Hegseth to provide receipt for Iran war costsAll of the Democrats in the Senate — excluding Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman — signed an open letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pressing him to give Congress a cost breakdown of the war in Iran. The letter, although largely symbolic, reflects the frustration of many Democrats in Congress over what they perceive as a...
Iran's president used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to turn Washington's decades-old assertion that his country is the world's leading terrorist state on its head by accusing the US—which has killed and wounded tens of thousands of Iranians during President Donald Trump's illegal war of choice—of…
The Republican lawmaker cited incidents like the US’s elementary school massacre in Minab, Iran, early in the war.
This amounts to more than 80 trades per market day for the president in his first 17 months back in office.
The fossil fuel industry is raking in big profits thanks to President Donald Trump's illegal war with Iran, and a new analysis finds that it's plugging a sizable chunk of these gains into propaganda. A report published by Clean Creatives on Wednesday reveals that fossil fuel firms across the world have "engaged 802 advertising and PR…
Trump promised to settle the Ukraine war within 24 hours on 53 separate occasions, CNN counted CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Iranian dissident reacts to Trump's promise to either annihilate Iran or make a post-election dealCBS News' Ed O'Keefe reports on President Trump's remarks at the United Nations, and Iranian-American activist and journalist Masih Alinejad shares her thoughts on Mr. Trump's war in the Middle East and the plight of the Iranian people.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that with seven weeks to go until Election Day, it was time for lawmakers to "go home to their districts and make the case to the American people"—a day earlier than scheduled. But with the US public overwhelmingly disapproving of President Donald Trump's war in Iran and demanding…
Iran had presented a seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations for a lasting end to the war.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) announced Thursday that four Republicans, including him, have signed the Epstein Files II discharge petition and expressed confidence it will pass the House. The news comes after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sent lawmakers home for a seven-week recess ahead of the midterm elections.
The Pentagon has failed its audit eight years running - the only major federal agency never to pass one Military Times, 19 December 2025
U.S. military lays groundwork for potential action around CubaSome units would "possibly [be] needed in 90-120 days," according to an internal Army message reviewed by CBS News.
Trump promised to settle Ukraine within 24 hours - and repeated that promise on 53 separate occasions CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Iran Seeks U.S. Clarification After Trump Rejects Cease-Fire ProposalAbbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said a history of contradictory messaging meant that President Trump’s rebuff might not be a final position.
· The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo on Iran. In a Security Council vote, United States only got support from the Dominican from the morgue, 14 Aug 2020
· U.S. Threatens New Economic War on Iran by Targeting China & Tehran's Other Top Trading Partners from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· Where Trump’s 2026 endorsement record stands after primary season from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Hegseth on "devastation" to Iran's capabilities from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Trump admits Iran war will not end before midterms from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Iran War Trump Said Would Be Quick Has Now Lasted 6 Months With 'No End In Sight' from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· CBO Finds Trump's Iran War Has Already Cost Nearly $40 Billion—And That's a 'Conservative' Estimate from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth for Illegal Iran War, Boat Murders from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie launches effort to impeach Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis urges Trump to fire Hegseth over 'inept management' of military from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s firing after Driscoll’s departure: ‘I have never witnessed more inept management’ from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Massie names Epstein 'coconspirators,' discusses new Epstein files legislation from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Read Thomas Massie’s eight impeachment charges against Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Fake Republican midterm convention site still redirects to Epstein files from the morgue, 7 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision’ coming up on Iran: ‘Do I want to go in and annihilate them’ from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran recently downed at least 2 American drones, officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Big Oil Stocks Surged Due to Iran War—and New Filings Show How President Trump Cashed In from the morgue, 27 Aug 2026
· Live updates: Energy secretary downplays rising gas prices as US, Iran trade strikes from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· U.S. Strike on Iranian School May Have Been War Crime, U.N. Report Says from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· UN investigators conclude ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe certain US strikes in Iran were war crimes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· US Condemned for 'War Crimes' After Bombing of Wedding Party in Iran from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· US investigating if missile hit Iranian wedding ceremony, killing 4 from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Trump says he has a ‘big decision coming up’ on Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· White House issues explosive response to UN-backed report claiming US committed war crimes against world’s No.1 sponsor of terror, Iran from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Human rights experts: 'Reasonable grounds' to believe US committed war crimes with Iran strikes from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran downed at least 2 American drones in recent days, U.S. officials say from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Iran: Account of US Air Force colonel's rescue 'fictional' from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Consumer Burden of Trump Iran War Exceeds $100 Billion as Oil Prices Pass $100 a Barrel from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'A Serious and Alarming Threat': US Bombing, Blockade Deepen Iran Medical Crisis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Consumer Confidence Hits Lowest Level in Months as US Faces 'Trump's Reckless Tariffs and War With Iran' from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· U.S. Air Force officer rescued from Iran speaks for the first time to 60 Minutes from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Rep. Thomas Massie forcing vote on Pete Hegseth's impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Massie saying Johnson is sending the House home early to prevent Hegseth impeachment from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· ‘You’re Elected to Fight and Kill the Other Side’: How Congress Lost Its Way from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Army combat veteran challenging Mike Lawler calls Hegseth national security 'hazard,' backs impeachment from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary says he 'couldn't serve' in Trump administration from the morgue, 6 Sep 2026
· Former Air Force secretary: Hegseth's Pentagon 'dysfunctional' from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· House Republicans split over leaving Washington early for campaign trail from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· 'How are we gonna get through this?' Many Americans are struggling as prices rise from the morgue, 16 Sep 2026
· Trump's Top Oil Stocks Have Made Him Up to $4.4 Million Richer During Iran War: Analysis from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· 'Trump Did It!': At $5.85 a Gallon, Diesel Price Hits All-Time High in US Thanks to War on Iran from the morgue, 4 Sep 2026
· Gas prices reach Labor Day high amid Iran war from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Trump Hammered Over Iran War That Drove Gas Prices Above $4 Per Gallon Every Day in August for First Time Ever from the morgue, 31 Aug 2026
· Warsh under pressure as Fed weighs rate hike from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Inflation held at 3.4% in August in consumer price index, creating tough choice for Warsh Fed from the morgue, 11 Sep 2026
· Warsh indicates Fed could raise rates to cool inflation from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· Key U.S. Bond Rate Near 20-Year High as Oil Prices Keep Climbing from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· 10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2007, oil surges above $105 as Fed expected to hike interest rates from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Benchmark mortgage rate hits 14-month high as bond yields keep rising from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Benchmark mortgage rate hits highest mark in over a year from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· Goldman Sachs warns oil prices could hit $120 as U.S. fuel costs surge from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· GOP Rep Thomas Massie introduces 8 articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Republican Rep. Massie moves to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth over Iran war from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Thomas Massie Forces Vote To Impeach Pete Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Pete Hegseth Faces Growing Criticism as War With Iran Rolls On from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· Hegseth Quietly Extends Middle East Troop Deployments Into 2027 as Iran War Drags On from the morgue, 3 Sep 2026
· Costco imposes purchase limits on motor oil, hikes prices by nearly double from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.