US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran compensate families of people killed or seriously injured in conflicts involving Tehran.
Trump said the issue would be included in any future negotiations between the United States and Iran.
Trump Responds to Iran’s Compensation Claim
Trump’s remarks came after he said Iranian representatives had sought compensation for damage caused to Iran during a five-month military conflict.
Calling the request an “interesting idea”, Trump said Iran should also compensate people affected by attacks and conflicts linked to the country.
He specifically mentioned families of those killed aboard the USS Cole and thousands of others who died in combat.
Trump also referred to attacks involving Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani.
Protest Victims Also Mentioned
Trump extended his demand to people killed during protests in Iran over the past five decades.
He claimed that hundreds of thousands of protesters had been killed during that period. He also said 52,000 people had died in the previous five months.
Trump did not explain how the compensation would be calculated or how Iran would be required to make the payments.
Demand to Be Raised in Future Talks
Trump said he had instructed his representatives to make compensation a firm part of future negotiations with Tehran.
He linked the five-month conflict to Iran’s alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons and questioned why compensation had not been discussed during earlier talks.
The demand adds another major issue to the already complicated relationship between Washington and Tehran and could influence any future diplomatic negotiations.