Trump Demands Iran Pay for Past Attacks as Hormuz Standoff Persists

President Donald Trump on Monday instructed U.S. negotiators to seek compensation from Iran for deaths and damages linked to its actions over decades, matching demands Tehran made earlier in stalled talks over the Strait of Hormuz. The move came as both sides continued to press economic and military pressure without agreement on reopening the waterway that carries a significant share of global oil shipments.

Trump cited specific cases in public statements, including the 2000 attack on the USS Cole, roadside bombs in Iraq, and killings of protesters inside Iran. He also referenced losses tied to Iranian support for groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza. Iranian officials had previously conditioned any reopening of the strait on the lifting of sanctions, payment of reparations to Tehran, and an end to the U.S. naval presence enforcing restrictions on Iranian shipping.

The president separately told reporters that Iran remains under severe economic strain, with inflation reported near 300 percent and difficulty paying its military. He described the U.S. Navy as maintaining effective control of the strait despite Iranian drone threats to commercial traffic. Maritime data shows vessel movements through the passage remain far below pre-conflict levels.

The compensation demand follows Iran's six-point list of conditions released over the weekend by a senior security official. Those conditions included full U.S. payment for damages Iran claims to have suffered during the current conflict. Trump described the Iranian proposal as opening the door to reciprocal claims and said the issue would now be part of any future discussions.

Separately, U.S. officials confirmed that Trump altered his return route from a NATO summit in Turkey last month. After intelligence indicated a possible missile threat against Air Force One, the president boarded a different military aircraft and avoided public flight paths. White House statements at the time described the trip as routine, with the switch kept from most staff and the press.

Oil prices rose 5 percent on Monday amid the lack of progress. Traders cited continued uncertainty over when commercial traffic through the strait would resume normal volume. Trump maintained that the blockade remains intact and that only approved vessels are allowed passage, while Iran retains limited ability to harass shipping.

Iranian state media described the U.S. compensation call as an attempt to distract from stalled diplomacy. Foreign Ministry statements accused Washington of relying on sanctions rather than direct talks. The exchange has produced no reported movement toward compromise, with each side continuing to tie any concession to major policy reversals by the other.

The current impasse reflects long-standing patterns in U.S.-Iran economic confrontation. Past sanctions have repeatedly constrained Iranian revenue from oil exports, while Tehran has used control of narrow shipping lanes as leverage. Neither approach has produced a lasting settlement, and current positions show both governments calculating that time and external costs will shift the balance.