Donald Trump has warned that Iran will be held financially liable for any damage to ships or cargo in waters where the country’s influence is felt, escalating his administration’s economic pressure on Tehran.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said: “From this moment forward, any damage done to ships or cargo, or anything else having to do with same, will be paid for out of the funds held by the United States from Iran.”
He added that the costs could be substantial, describing the measure as “the fair and equitable thing to do.”
The statement stops short of specifying which incidents or waterways the policy covers, but it signals a shift toward using frozen Iranian assets as a direct instrument of financial punishment, rather than as leverage in negotiations.
