Trump Adds New Compensation Demand on Iran, Clouding Strait of Hormuz Reopening Talks

August 11, 2026 — President Trump told reporters at the White House that his administration would seek compensation from Iran for '50 years' of alleged damages, citing the 2000 USS Cole attack and casualties from Iranian government crackdowns on protesters, and later broadened the demand to include 'damages and death caused to the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza.' The demand came in direct response to Tehran's own condition that Washington compensate Iran for more than five months of US and Israeli strikes before the Strait of Hormuz can be fully reopened. Iran's Foreign Ministry said separate technical talks with Oman over shipping-route maps were 'progressing smoothly,' but the dueling compensation demands diminished prospects for a quick resolution just days before the Islamabad MOU's 60-day negotiating window is set to expire around August 17.