On Monday, August 10, 2026, President Donald Trump demanded that Iran compensate Americans killed or seriously wounded in attacks he attributed to Tehran. He also called for payments to the families of Iranian protesters killed by the regime over the past five decades.

Trump stated he had instructed his representatives to include these compensation demands in any future negotiations with Iran. His remarks followed senior Iranian officials' demands for compensation from the U.S. as part of Tehran's conditions for reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: "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 (started because, THEY WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON), even though it was never mentioned in any of our negotiations or meetings!"

Tehran is demanding the U.S. end its blockade of Iranian ports, lift economic sanctions, release frozen Iranian assets, and pay compensation for war damage. Trump called Iran's request "an interesting idea" but insisted on compensation from Iran "for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs and many conflicts, for which they are famous, as led initially by General Soleimani, including the families of those killed on the USS Cole, and thousands of others killed in combat."

He further wrote, "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."

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced over the weekend that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States "corrects its behavior," outlining conditions for reopening the waterway. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of the council, cited an end to U.S. military operations and threats, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and compensation for war damage as prerequisites.

Additionally, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran and Oman were "very close" to finalizing a deal on a new shipping route through the strait but noted conditions would include compensation for alleged U.S. violations of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MOU), according to Reuters.

Sources