US President Trump hit back at Iran’s demand for compensation over damage caused during the five-month US-Israeli military conflict, saying Tehran should instead compensate the United States for Americans killed and wounded in conflicts involving Iran.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said Iranian representatives were seeking compensation despite the issue allegedly never being raised during previous negotiations. He said he had instructed US representatives to include Washington’s compensation demand in all future talks with Tehran.
Talks between Iran and Oman near a closure. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the two sides have agreed on the geographical parameters of a shipping route and are working through remaining technical issues. A joint statement is also currently being prepared.
Baghaei pointed out that talks were progressing constructively, but he warned that an agreement with Oman alone would not make the strait safe. Oman has similarly described the negotiations as “positive and constructive,” while warning against actions that could undermine the progress made.
head of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile has issued a warning against adapting to US maritime blockade.
“Whether through negotiations, requests, threats, or even using force and starting a war again, this maritime blockade must end,” he told the local media. “The worst thing that could happen today is to think we can bypass the maritime blockade and try to run the country despite it,” Hariri said. “We must not allow our economy – or the enemy – to get used to the maritime blockade.” In his warning he highlighted that trying to circumvent the blockade would repeat Tehran’s previous experience of attempting to bypass sanctions, which increased trade costs, weakened the economy, and fuelled major corruption.
Earlier, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei appointed six senior commanders across the armed forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Basij domestic security force, formalizing a wartime leadership structure after several top commanders were killed.
Those recently inducted include:
Ali Abdollahi -named chief of staff of the armed forces, replacing Abdolrahim Mousavi.
Kioumars Heydari-deputy chief of staff.
Ahmad Vahidi-commander-in-chief of the IRGC, succeeding Mohammad Pakpour.
Mostafa Izadi– Deputy to Vahidi
Ali Ozmaei– commander of the IRGC Navy
Hossein Taeb– mobilization and domestic intelligence networks head
The appointments came a day after former IRGC chief Mohsen Rezaee was named secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, pointing to a wider consolidation of experienced IRGC figures across Iran’s wartime security establishment.