US Controls Iranian Money, Says Trump Amid Ongoing Tensions

US vs Iran – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) -The US controls Iranian money, President Donald Trump said this week, describing Washington as acting like Tehran’s own banker. He made the remarks during a television interview, painting a picture of an Iranian economy under heavy strain and a nation increasingly boxed in financially.

Trump said the US now holds full command over funds that once belonged to Iran. He called himself Tehran’s banker, suggesting the country has little room left to maneuver economically.

According to Trump, Iran is facing runaway inflation and a currency that has lost most of its worth. He also claimed Iranian soldiers are abandoning their posts because they aren’t being paid.

The president laid out three paths forward. One option is to keep the pressure steady and let Iran’s economy collapse on its own. Another is a heavy military strike. The third leans on continued economic squeeze, which he suggested is already happening.

Trump repeated that his main goal remains stopping Iran from building a nuclear weapon. He credited earlier US military action with setting that goal back.

Meanwhile, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved. Qatar said talks between Iran and Oman over reopening the waterway have reached a critical stage. Doha, acting as a mediator, expressed hope the strait would open again soon.

.@POTUS on Iran: “They’re very devious negotiators because they’ll agree to something, then they’ll go out and tell the press that they never agreed to it. They’re very dishonest people.” pic.twitter.com/zxf9B4lbM9

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 11, 2026

Iran, however, insists any reopening depends on the US lifting what it calls an unlawful blockade. Tehran also wants Washington held accountable for violations of an earlier agreement.

On the diplomatic front, Iran’s foreign minister claimed the US had reached out first for negotiations, despite earlier demanding Tehran’s total surrender. He argued that Iran’s resistance surprised much of the world.

Elsewhere in the region, violence continues. Iran condemned recent Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, blaming international silence for emboldening further attacks. Separately, an Israeli drone reportedly hit ambulance crews evacuating a wounded person, despite a ceasefire framework meant to prevent such incidents.

In Yemen, Houthi fighters attacked a commercial ship near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, killing three crew members. No group has claimed responsibility publicly.

Adding to the uncertainty, reports surfaced that Trump secretly left Turkey last month using a decoy plane, reportedly due to a threat against his life. The White House defended the move as a standard security precaution.

Oil prices also spiked sharply after Trump hinted that a larger military escalation against Iran remains possible. Analysts say the uncertainty is keeping global energy markets on edge, even as Trump insists the Strait of Hormuz is fully under US Navy control.

With reparations demands, stalled talks, and continued strikes across the region, the standoff between Washington and Tehran shows no clear sign of easing soon.