Compensation rift deepens between Washington, Tehran

TEHRAN

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Aug. 11 that he would seek conflict compensation from Iran as part of any peace negotiations, citing attacks and killings stretching back decades allegedly backed or perpetrated by Tehran.

Negotiations on ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz have stalled and his new demands risk putting a quick agreement further out of reach.

Trump’s announcement was a direct response to Iran’s insistence that U.S. payment of war reparations is a pre-condition to any resolution of the ongoing hostilities.

“I am likewise demanding compensation from Iran,” he said, noting that his demand included not only damages arising from the current war, but also Iranian attacks on U.S. targets going back more than two decades as well as payments to the families of Iranian protestors killed by authorities over the past 50 years.

In a later post, Trump also said that the Islamic Republic should be responsible for deaths and damage it caused in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Gaza.

In his post, Trump referenced the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, which he has previously said Iran was “probably involved” in.

He also said his various demands for compensations would be put “firmly into any, and all, future negotiations” with Iran.

Digital media outlet Axios said that the U.S. president did not express any frustration with Iran’s delaying an agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz in their interview with him published on Aug. 9.

Tehran has demanded that the U.S. first end its blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on its oil industry.