President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran’s leaders gave him an “interesting idea” with their demand for compensation over damage from the ongoing war — and now he wants to turn that demand directly against Tehran.
Trump said Iran is seeking compensation for damage suffered during the last five months of military conflict as part of ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war.
The president responded by ordering his representatives to demand compensation from Iran for Americans he says have been killed or seriously wounded as a result of the country’s actions.
Trump also demanded that Tehran compensate the families of protesters he said have been killed by the Iranian government over the past 50 years, including 52,000 protesters he claimed have been killed during the last five months.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump said the conflict began because Iran “WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON” and noted that Tehran’s compensation demand had not previously been raised during negotiations or meetings.
“But it is an interesting idea because now I am likewise demanding compensation from Iran,” Trump wrote.
The president said Iran should compensate the United States over Americans “killed and gravely wounded” through roadside bombs and other conflicts.
Trump specifically referenced Iranian Gen. Soleimani while making his demand and also called for compensation involving the families of those killed aboard the USS Cole, along with “thousands of others killed in combat.”
Trump then expanded his demand to include Iranians killed while protesting the country’s government.
“Additionally, compensation should be paid to the families of the 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,” Trump wrote.
The president said he had directed his representatives to make the demand part of negotiations with Tehran going forward.
“I have instructed my representatives to put this firmly into any, and all, future negotiations,” Trump said.
The move comes one day after Trump said he was “low keying it” when it comes to negotiations with Iran and expressed confidence that the situation would ultimately “work out.”
“We are only semi-negotiating with them,” Trump told Axios.
Trump said the United States was instead watching Iran as the country deals with what he described as “huge inflation” and a lack of money.
“We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,” Trump said.
Trump followed up his initial Monday post shortly afterward with another demand, this time calling for Iran to face responsibility for destruction and deaths elsewhere in the Middle East.
The president called for Tehran to be held “responsible for the damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza!”
The additional demands add another issue to ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran as Trump seeks to turn Iran’s own compensation request back against the country.
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