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President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran should compensate the world for harm caused over the last 50 years, as high-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran remain deadlocked. Trump’s statement came after Iran demanded the U.S. pay compensation for damages it claims to have suffered during the ongoing five-month conflict, including from the U.S.-led naval blockade and military strikes.
According to The Hill, President Trump told reporters and later posted on social media that he intends to require Iran to pay reparations for deaths and injuries caused by Iranian actions, mentioning victims of attacks such as the USS Cole bombing in 2000 and protesters killed in Iran over decades. He declared, “I have instructed my representatives to put this firmly into any, and all, future negotiations.”
Negotiations have stalled as both sides issue new demands. Over the weekend, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council insisted the U.S. must end military action, lift sanctions, remove the naval blockade, and release frozen Iranian assets before Tehran would consider reopening the Strait of Hormuz—a vital waterway for global oil shipments. Tehran also called for the U.S. to “completely compensate” Iran for war-related damages. In response, President Trump said the U.S. Navy has “full control” of the strait, contradicting Iran’s claim that it governs the waterway’s security. Trump added that the U.S. is “low-keying” negotiations and ramping up economic pressure, citing Iran’s economic struggles and inflation, as reported by CNN.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, maintain there are no direct talks with the U.S., and communications are limited to indirect messages, according to ABC News. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the country will not reopen the strait unless its conditions—including compensation, lifting of sanctions, and a new maritime traffic agreement with Oman—are met.
With both sides hardening their positions, the prospects for a quick resolution are fading. Oil prices remain elevated as shipping through the strait is restricted, impacting global markets. President Trump’s public demand for reparations marks a new complication in the already tense negotiations, with no clear timeline for when, or if, the standoff will end.