Onlykashmir.in News Desk
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has dramatically raised the stakes in stalled peace negotiations with Iran, declaring that Tehran must pay conflict compensation as part of any future agreement to end hostilities.
Trump said his demands would cover not only damage caused during the current conflict but also alleged Iranian attacks on US targets dating back more than two decades. He also called for payments to families of Iranian protesters killed by authorities over the past 50 years.
In a further escalation, Trump said Iran should also bear responsibility for deaths and destruction allegedly linked to its actions in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Gaza.
The hard-line demand comes as negotiations over ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz have stalled. Iran has insisted that Washington first lift its blockade of Iranian ports and remove sanctions targeting its oil industry.
Trump, who recently threatened to strike Iran “very hard” before signalling a more restrained approach, has now warned that his compensation demands will be placed firmly on the table in all future negotiations.
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz has added to global economic anxiety, with the blockade driving up fuel prices and increasing pressure on the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections.
Trump also cited the 2000 USS Cole bombing, reiterating his earlier claim that Iran was “probably involved.”
With both Washington and Tehran attaching major conditions to a potential settlement, hopes for a swift diplomatic breakthrough now face another major hurdle.
