U.S. President Trump said the possibility of a major attack on Iran remains if no agreement is reached, while highlighting his demand for compensation in negotiations with Tehran.
Trump responded to the Iranian government’s demand for war reparations from the United States in statements posted on his social media account and made after a press briefing in the Oval Office. He said Iran’s demand was linked to the damage it suffered during the five-month military conflict and noted that the issue had not been addressed in negotiations so far.
Trump claimed the conflict began because Iran did not possess a nuclear weapon and announced that the United States would also seek compensation in response to Iran’s demand. He argued that Iran should pay for the damage he claims it has caused across the Middle East over the past 50 years, and alleged that Iran was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in the region.
Payments demanded from Iran
Trump said forces led by General Qasem Soleimani had killed numerous people in various locations. He said compensation should also be paid to the families of those killed aboard the USS Cole and to the families of protesters who died during protests in Iran.
In a subsequent statement, Trump said Iran should also be held responsible for the damage and loss of life in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Gaza. He said they would pursue the issue of compensation firmly in the next phase of negotiations.
Possibility of an attack on Iran
Trump said the possibility of launching a major attack on Iran would remain if no agreement was reached. He said they had the capacity to carry out such an action if they decided to take it.
Trump claimed that Iran was facing economic difficulties and could not pay its soldiers’ salaries, while arguing that the country still had the military capacity to cause problems in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was open and under the complete control of the U.S. Navy. He said only authorized tankers could pass through the strait, while other vessels could not do so because of the blockade.
Statement on Netanyahu
Trump said he had responded through his Truth Social account to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest statements. The U.S. president said relations between the United States and Israel were in good shape.
