Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi slammed the U.S. decision to seize Tehran’s assets to cover future attacks on ships as an “incendiary” precedent.
Araghchi took to X late Thursday and warned that once governments normalize confiscation, everyone’s assets become vulnerable, inviting unrest.
“Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful,” he said.
Seizing another nation's assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 24, 2026
Those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember: once governments normalize confiscation, no one's assets are safe. Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful.
US Strikes, Trump Warns Iran
On Thursday, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social and said Iranian funds held by the U.S. should be used to pay for any future damage to ships and cargo, calling it the “fair and equitable” approach. He said the policy should remain in place until further notice, warning that potential damages could be substantial.
U.S. forces launched a 13th straight night of strikes on Iranian military targets, saying the campaign aims to curb IRGC threats to commercial shipping. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthis claimed drone and missile attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, while Trump warned of severe military action and blamed Iran for any future attacks.
In June, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a 14-point ceasefire that included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and releasing Iran’s frozen assets. However, the deal collapsed weeks later after renewed Iranian attacks on ships and U.S. retaliatory strikes.
Point 11 of the MoU stated that the “United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
The U.S. has frozen Iranian assets since the 1979 hostage crisis amid the Islamic revolution, with estimates placing the total at around $100 billion, according to Al Jazeera.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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