Iran tried to play the victim card, but found itself Trumped.
Over the weekend, Iran spewed forth a number of conditions for allowing unrestricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including a demand that “America must correct its behavior,” according to CNN.
The demands included a requirement that Iran be compensated for damage in this year’s war and last year’s bombing raids that destroyed its nuclear facilities.
President Donald Trump responded that if the deal requires compensation, Iran will not be immune from facing the consequences of its actions.
“I see that Representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran are asking for compensation for the damage done to them during the last five month Military Conflict (started because, THEY WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON), even though it was never mentioned in any of our negotiations or meetings!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“But it is an interesting idea because now I am likewise demanding compensation from Iran, for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs and many conflicts, for which they are famous, as led initially by General Soleimani, including the families of those killed on the USS Cole, and thousands of others killed in combat,” Trump posted.
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“Additionally, compensation should be paid to the families of the hundreds of thousands of innocent protestors that Iran has killed over the last 50 years, not to mention the 52,000 that have been killed in the last five months,” Trump posted.
“I have instructed my representatives to put this firmly into any, and all, future negotiations,” Trump wrote.
“Also, with respect to the Iran negotiations, Iran should be responsible for the damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza!” Trump added in a later post.
Although Trump had been talking about military action, that option appears to have faded.
“We are low-keying it,” Trump told Axios Sunday.
“We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,” he said.
Trump said Iran is “in very bad shape” economically and cannot pay its soldiers, with the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports making every day more difficult.
Trump said that as oil prices fall, U.S. consumers are not paying high gasoline prices.
“It will work out. It always works out. It’s like a chess game,” Trump said of dealing with Iran, which has a leadership split between those who want to end the war and those who do not want any deal with the U.S.
Vice President J.D. Vance offered a similar comment over the weekend.
“This thing is not over. It’s obviously not at the beginning. We’re in the middle of the game, and we’re applying a whole host of tools — diplomatic, economic, military tools — to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people,” he said.
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