Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani answered President Trump’s call for talks between the two presidents with a “No,” but said it would be a different story if the United States ends its sanctions on Iran. Since President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, Rouhani has been seeking a way to compensate for the American absence. Seizing upon the European nations’ desire to replace the U.S. in the Western lead of the deal, Rouhani told the EU countries that it could happen only if they found an alternative mechanism for sanctioned Iranian oil to be sold and for Iranian international trade to continue despite the fear held by potential trade partners of themselves being sanctioned for end-running the US punitive restrictions. When that failed, Tehran upped the ante with military strikes apparently reading the American hesitation to use military force. During that time, President Trump began altering his pitch to a request for a personal sit-down with his Iranian counterpart who now says, “Sure, but only with no ‘pressure’ (read: lifting of all sanctions). Stay tuned.