Iran Threatens Trump If He Uses Frozen Assets to Make Up for Losses

JAKARTA - Iranian Foreign Minister (Menlu) Abbas Araghchi has criticized US President Donald Trump's plan to use frozen Iranian assets to pay for potential losses of ships and cargo in the Strait of Hormuz due to military attacks.

"Seizing the assets of another country to pay unrelated claims is a dangerous precedent. Those who celebrate or take advantage of the funds must remember that once the government legitimizes the seizure, no one's assets are safe. The chaos that will ensue will not be beautiful or peaceful," Araghchid said in a post on the X platform, Friday, July 24, as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu.

Araghchi's statement came after Trump said on Thursday (23/7), the US would use Iranian funds already under Washington's control to compensate for any damage to ships, cargo, or related assets in the Strait of Hormuz.

"All forms of damage, which befall the ship, its cargo, or anything related to it, will be replaced using Iranian funds that are in the possession and control of the United States," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Trump did not elaborate on the source of the funds in question, but said Iran's assets worth billions of US dollars were still frozen due to US sanctions.

The latest dispute comes amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, with both sides engaged in a series of attacks and counterattacks in the region.