US Plan to Seize Iranian Assets Sparks Tehran's Fury
The US plan to pay shipping claims by seizing Iranian assets has been met with strong opposition from Tehran. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, took to social media platform X to express his concern about the move.
Araghchi warned that 'seizing another nation's assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent.' He cautioned that those who profit from such funds should remember that once governments normalize confiscation, no one's assets are safe. The ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful.
The move by the US comes as part of a series of provocative actions by President Trump, including threats to bomb and destroy Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants. The Islamic Republic has also declared the Strait of Hormuz closed 'until further notice' after the US military conducted aerial assaults on Iran and imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
The US has a history of seizing Iranian assets, with one notable case being the seizure of over 2 million barrels of Iranian crude oil from the tanker MT Achilleas in 2023. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman labeled such actions 'a clear example of piracy.'