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Compensation and control
Donald Trump said he would demand compensation from Iran for the war, writing on Truth Social: "It’s an interesting idea because now I also demand compensation from Iran for all the people they have killed and seriously wounded with their bombs on roads."
“"It’s an interesting idea because now I also demand compensation from Iran for all the people they have killed and seriously wounded with their bombs on roads”
Trump also said he had ordered his representatives to "firmly include this in each and every one of the future negotiations" with Iran.
In a separate message, Trump asserted that the United States maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz, saying during a press briefing in the Oval Office at the White House, "The only one who controls the Strait of Hormuz at this moment is the United States Navy."
The dispute over control is tied to Iran’s conditions for reopening maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including "compensation for the damages caused by the war initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28 of last year."
Al Jazeera’s coverage also frames the standoff as Iran saying the Strait of Hormuz will remain restricted unless the US meets a series of demands, while other regional actors accuse Tehran and Iran’s rivals of attacks on shipping.
Blockade and competing claims
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States can continue the blockade of Iran’s ports "as long as required," adding that "The U.S. Navy can maintain a blockade of this kind for an indefinite period" by rotating ships in and out.
Iran’s Central Command spokesperson Ibrahim al-Zoghari denied U.S. claims about routine passage through the Strait of Hormuz, calling them "nothing but lies."
Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) posted on X that "The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted," even as U.S. officials said the waterway was no longer blocked.
The same Al Jazeera report said lawmakers raised alarm over reports of dire conditions on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, including accounts of sailors trying to jump overboard.
In the Al-Hurra account of the finger-pointing battle, President Donald Trump’s "full control" claim was met by Hussein Taib, a commander of the paramilitary Basij, saying the strait is "under Iran’s control and administration."
Negotiations stall, pressure rises
Qatar’s mediator role was described by Al Jazeera as reaching a "turning point" in negotiations between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, with Doha saying it supports efforts "to de-escalate" and wants to reopen the strait "as soon as possible."
“"We as mediators want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible"”
In the same Al Jazeera report, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif confirmed continued contact with Washington through intermediaries, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi linked reopening the strait to removing war conditions, "foremost of which is the continuation of the American naval blockade."
Al-Sharq Al-Akhbār said the Trump administration is preparing to impose a package of economic measures described as "unprecedented" alongside the ongoing U.S. naval blockade, with the Memorandum of Understanding between Washington and Tehran due to end on August 16.
That report also said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Newsmax that Washington will announce new Iran-related measures next week as part of a "double strike" that includes continuing the blockade of Iranian ports.
Al Jazeera’s framing of the wider standoff emphasizes that ceasefire talks remain in deadlock as the Strait of Hormuz stays restricted, with the UAE accusing Tehran of targeting an oil tanker and Yemen’s Houthis claiming an attack on a Saudi refinery.
