By SUNTV Global Channel
August 10, 2026
United States President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran pay compensation to Americans killed or seriously wounded in conflicts involving Tehran, saying the issue should be included in future negotiations between Washington and the Iranian government.
Trump made the demand in a post on his social media platform after claiming that Iranian representatives were seeking compensation for damage suffered during the latest military conflict between the two countries.
According to Trump, the Iranian demand had not been raised during previous negotiations, but he said it had now created an opportunity for the United States to seek compensation for victims of what he described as decades of Iran-linked violence.
Trump specifically referenced the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, a US Navy destroyer that was attacked while refuelling at the Yemeni port of Aden.
He also called for compensation for other Americans killed in combat and for families of Iranian protesters whom he alleged were killed by the Iranian government over several decades.
Trump further claimed that 52,000 people had been killed in the previous five months of conflict, but he did not provide a detailed breakdown or independent evidence supporting the figure in his statement.
He said he had instructed US representatives to make compensation a firm part of any future negotiations with Tehran.
The demand comes amid continuing tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme and the broader military relationship between the two countries.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, while Iran has denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons and has maintained that its nuclear programme is intended for civilian purposes.
Trump also referred to former Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike ordered by Trump near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020.
Soleimani’s killing sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Iran subsequently launching missile attacks against Iraqi bases hosting US forces.
Trump’s latest position could add another major issue to any future negotiations with Iran, alongside disagreements over Tehran’s nuclear activities and its regional military influence.
However, the exact amount of compensation being sought, how such payments would be calculated and how the demand would be enforced remain unclear.
The figures and allegations contained in Trump’s statement have not been independently verified by SUNTV Global Channel.
SUNTV Global Channel — News, Sports & Entertainment
