Hossein Shariatmadari, the influential editor of the hardline Kayhan newspaper, said in a live state TV interview that Iran should seize American and allied assets in the Strait of Hormuz to secure compensation it says Washington owes. He argued that the $300 billion reconstruction framework and $12 billion in released funds are not genuine reparations, and that only physical seizure of assets will guarantee payment.
Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the hardline Kayhan daily and a figure closely associated with the leadership line in Tehran, said in a live interview on state television that Iran should seize American and allied assets in the Strait of Hormuz as compensation. He argued that Washington cannot be trusted to honor commitments or pay reparations, asserting that the $300 billion reconstruction framework included in the understanding with the US is not genuine compensation but an investment under American supervision. The $12 billion in released funds, he said, is merely Iranian money being returned.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a recurring theme in Iranian hardline rhetoric. As The Zioneer reported on June 15, Shariatmadari previously published an op-ed warning against reopening the strait in any future agreement, calling it one of Iran's most strategic pressure levers. US intelligence has assessed that Iran can shut the strait at will and that the US military cannot reopen it by force, as The Zioneer reported on June 16.
The call to seize assets comes amid a tense backdrop in US-Iran negotiations. Tehran has hardened its stance, demanding the immediate release of $24 billion in frozen funds, while the US insists on a performance-based agreement. The statement reflects maximalist positions within the Iranian leadership that could further complicate diplomatic efforts.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake