Iran Rejects Trump’s Frozen Funds Plan for Gulf Ship Compensation

Iran has formally rejected former President Donald Trump’s assertion that vessels damaged by Iranian forces in the Gulf would be compensated from frozen Iranian assets. Trump, speaking on a recent television appearance, suggested that the United States could use the funds seized under U.S. sanctions to reimburse shipping companies that suffered losses during attacks attributed to Iran. The claim was presented as a potential remedy for the economic fallout faced by foreign and domestic maritime operators.

The Iranian government responded by stating that it has no obligation to provide compensation from its frozen assets and that such a proposal is both legally and politically untenable. Tehran maintains that the U.S. sanctions regime is a unilateral measure and that any compensation would need to be negotiated through diplomatic channels, not imposed by the former president. The dispute highlights the broader tensions between Iran and the United States, particularly over maritime security in the Persian Gulf and the enforcement of sanctions.

With Iran’s rejection, the prospect of using frozen Iranian funds to settle claims remains uncertain. Both sides appear to be at an impasse, and the issue is likely to remain a point of contention in ongoing U.S.-Iran diplomatic negotiations.