US President Donald Trump demanded compensation from Iran for alleged damages spanning 50 years, directly responding to Tehran’s own reparations claims as negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz stall.
Trump issued the counter-demand on Monday, saying the United States would seek payment for deaths caused by Iranian roadside bombs, the families of 17 sailors killed in the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole naval vessel, and what he claimed were thousands of protester deaths in Iran.
In Truth Social posts, Trump specified that Iran should be “responsible for the damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza,” expanding the scope beyond direct US-Iran military casualties to regional conflicts he attributes to Iranian influence.
Trump’s demand came after Iran’s Supreme National Security Council set new conditions for reopening the strategic waterway, including compensation for war damage from the five-month US-Israel conflict that began in February 2026. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the war, has been effectively blocked since fighting began, pushing up energy prices worldwide.
Regarding protester deaths, Trump claimed Iran had killed approximately 52,000 people in antigovernment demonstrations over the past four months. That figure contradicts accounts from human rights monitors — the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported about 7,000 deaths, including 6,500 protesters, as of February 2026, while Iran’s own government said some 3,117 people died in January protests before the war launched.
Charles Kupchan, a former special assistant to ex-President Barack Obama, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s compensation demands amounted to “banter” rather than serious negotiating positions. He noted that both sides have strong incentives to reach a deal: Iran cannot survive economically without oil exports, and Trump faces political pressure over high gas prices ahead of midterm elections, while the Pentagon confronts reports of depleted munitions stockpiles.
Iran and Oman are holding separate talks to define new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions were “progressing smoothly and constructively” on a shipping route map, though some technical issues remained unresolved. However, Trump’s new compensation demand risks further complicating those efforts.
The US military has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports since July, with US Central Command reporting it has redirected 55 commercial vessels and “disabled” at least two. Trump claimed Monday that the US Navy has “100% control” of the Strait and that the waterway is open and cleared of mines — assertions contradicted by shipping data showing traffic dropped sharply over the weekend, with MarineTraffic reporting crossings fell from 15 on Friday to just six on Sunday.
Trump has given Iran a “last chance” to make a deal to end the war and previously canceled Iran strikes after a deal framework was reached in early August, signaling willingness to pursue diplomatic solutions. However, his oscillation between military threats and peace overtures, combined with now-competing compensation demands, has deepened the stalemate in negotiations over the vital shipping corridor.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — Trump’s demand for 50 years of compensation, Iran’s conditions for Hormuz reopening, Kupchan’s analysis, protester death claims and contradictory figures, Iran-Oman talks status, US blockade details and shipping data
- Anadolu Agency — Trump’s compensation demand, specific claims about roadside bombs and USS Cole attack, damages in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza, Iran’s rejection of war reparations claims
- Arkansas Online — Trump’s claim of 52,000 protester deaths in past four months
