President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran compensate Americans killed or seriously wounded in attacks attributed to Tehran, and also called for payments to the families of Iranian protesters killed by the regime. Trump stated he has instructed his representatives to include these compensation demands in any future negotiations with Iran.
The president's remarks followed senior Iranian officials' demands for Washington to provide compensation as a condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump characterized Iran's request for compensation as an "interesting idea" before stating his own demands.
"I see that Representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran are asking for compensation for the damage done to them during the last five month Military Conflict (started because, THEY WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON), even though it was never mentioned in any of our negotiations or meetings!" Trump wrote on the social platform Truth Social.
Trump asserted that Iran should pay compensation "for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs and many conflicts, for which they are famous, as led initially by General Soleimani, including the families of those killed on the USS Cole, and thousands of others killed in combat." He also stated that compensation should be paid to the families of "hundreds of thousands of innocent protestors that Iran has killed over the last 50 years, not to mention the 52,000 that have been killed in the last five months."
In a subsequent post, Trump added that Iran should also be held responsible for "the damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza."
During an executive order signing at the White House, Trump confirmed that Tehran had demanded "reparations." "They asked for reparations, you might say," Trump told reporters. "Or they asked for money for the damage that we've done. I said that's a good idea. Well, we're going to ask for money for the damage they've done over a 50-year period." He concluded, "So, if there are damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages."
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council had previously stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States "corrects its behavior." The council outlined conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to U.S. military operations and threats, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and compensation for war damage, according to reports. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated, "The Supreme National Security Council will never back down, whether in war or in negotiations."
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated that Iran and Oman were nearing a deal on a new shipping route through the strait, but reiterated that conditions would apply, including compensation for what Tehran described as U.S. violations of a memorandum of understanding. Trump declined to comment on whether Iran had exhausted its opportunities for a deal with the United States, telling reporters, "You'll find out."