United States President Donald Trump has demanded compensation from Iran for those he claimed were killed by the country, citing a period of “50 years” of damages. This demand comes as Tehran has conditioned the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on receiving war reparations from Washington and the lifting of sanctions. The Iranian demands were largely in line with the terms of an interim peace agreement signed in June, which has since broken down over a dispute regarding control of the strait.
President Trump demands compensation
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, President Trump framed his move as a direct response to Tehran’s claims。
トランプ大統領は記者団に対し、イラン側が賠償金を求めている、あるいは米国が与えた損害への支払いを求めていると言えるとし、それは良い考えだと述べた。
その上で、米国側もイランが50年間にわたって与えた損害に対する支払いを求めるつもりであると語った。
The President stated that these payments would cover deaths among US forces in the region as well as civilian protesters in Iran. He claimed that 52,000 people have been killed in Iran in the past four months. These figures contrast with other reports; Tehran states that some 3,117 people died in antigovernment protests that swept the country in January, prior to the launch of the US-Israel war. Additionally, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported in February that approximately 7,000 people had died, including 6,500 protesters.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump expanded his demands, writing,
トランプ大統領はTruth Socialへの投稿で、当初はSoleimani将軍が主導したことで知られる多くの紛争や路肩爆弾によってイランが殺害または重傷を負わせたすべての人々に対し、USS Coleの犠牲者の家族や戦闘で死亡した数千人を含め、同様にイランに賠償を求めると主張した。
The reference to the USS Cole concerns the 17 US sailors killed in an October 2000 attack in Yemen, an incident blamed on al-Qaeda, not Iran. In a subsequent post, he added,
さらに別の投稿で、イランとの交渉に関して、レバノン、シリア、イエメン、およびガザの人々に与えた損害と死に対してもイランが責任を負うべきであると付け加えた。
Strait of Hormuz blockade
The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the US-Israel war on Iran, has been effectively blocked since the conflict began on February 28. This blockade has pushed up oil prices and inflation. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated on Monday that talks with Oman regarding the waterway were progressing smoothly and constructively,
with an agreement reached on a shipping route map, though some technical issues remain. Baghaei asserted that Tehran considers Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports an act of aggression.
US Central Command reported on Monday that it has redirected 55 commercial vessels since reinstating the blockade in July and has “disabled” at least two. According to Windward, a maritime intelligence firm, the blockade has resulted in a “complete halt” to Iranian oil exports from Kharg Island. President Trump described the blockade as a “steel wall.”
Charles Kupchan characterizes remarks
Charles Kupchan, a former special assistant to ex-US President Barack Obama, characterized the President’s remarks as “banter,” noting that neither the Iranians nor the Trump administration appear to be acting with seriousness. Kupchan observed that Iran cannot survive if it is unable to export its oil, while President Trump faces pressure to avoid high gas prices ahead of the midterm elections in November. He also noted that the Pentagon faces concerns regarding low munitions stockpiles.
The recent demands follow a series of setbacks for the administration’s efforts to resolve regional conflicts. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a 15-point peace roadmap backed by the Board of Peace, stating that Hamas must fully disarm before Israel would consider pulling out of Gaza. While President Trump has not replied to Netanyahu’s statement, he told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that his relationship with the Israeli prime minister remains “very good.”