Trump: All Damaged Ships to Be Compensated with Frozen Iranian Funds

Amid continuing armed clashes in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on the 23rd (local time) that any ships attacked from now on will be compensated for damages using frozen Iranian funds.

In a short post on his Truth Social account that day, he unilaterally announced, "From this point forward and until further notice, any and all damage to ships, cargo, or anything related will be compensated by Iranian funds held and controlled by the United States."

He did not mention the source of the "Iranian funds" or specific compensation plans.

However, this is believed to refer to the frozen Iranian funds that were placed on the agenda during previous peace negotiations between the two sides.

Previously, while engaged in a dialogue phase following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war with Iran, the United States proposed allowing Iran to use 6 billion dollars (approx. 9 trillion KRW) located in Qatar out of 100 billion dollars (approx. 155 trillion KRW) in Iranian funds frozen worldwide for the purchase of humanitarian goods.

However, it is known that differences could not be narrowed as Iran maintained its demand to collect Hormuz transit tolls, which are expected to reach 40 billion dollars (approx. 62조 원) annually.

However, as both sides transitioned back to a confrontational phase involving armed clashes over dominance in Hormuz, the agenda items included in the previous peace MOU have also derailed.

President Trump's latest remark also came as he concentrates U.S. military firepower in the Middle East and weighs cards for escalating the conflict against Iran.

In response, Iran has been joining hands with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, a member of the "Axis of Resistance," to attack ships passing through the Red Sea, tightening its grip on both major crude oil transportation routes.

Earlier that day, in another Truth Social post, President Trump also issued a warning to the Houthis.

He wrote, "If they do this again (attacking merchant vessels), the United States will hold Iran responsible given that the Houthis are Iran's proxy forces."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.