U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that any future damages to ships, cargo, or related maritime property should be compensated using Iranian funds currently under the control of the United States.
In a statement posted on his social media platform, Trump said the directive would remain in effect “until further notice,” adding that the measure was, in his view, “the fair and equitable thing to do.”
“Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to ships, cargo, or anything related thereto, will be paid for by Iranian money that the United States has in its possession, and controls,” Trump wrote.
He acknowledged that the damages could be “very substantial” but maintained that using the frozen Iranian assets was an appropriate response.
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The statement comes amid continued tensions between the United States and Iran over regional security, maritime activities, and sanctions. While Trump did not specify what incidents or damages he was referring to, his remarks suggest that he believes Iranian-held assets controlled by the U.S. should be used to compensate victims of maritime-related losses.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Iranian government regarding Trump’s remarks.
Legal experts note that any use of frozen foreign assets is typically subject to U.S. domestic law and, in some cases, international legal considerations.
