In a blistering statement Monday, President Donald Trump rejected claims that Iran could use the United Nations to compel the United States to cover costs from recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian military sites. “They think they can file a bill and we’ll write them a check? Not happening,” Trump told reporters at the White House lawn, according to Reuters. His remarks came hours after Tehran’s UN ambassador threatened legal action under international law.
@Reuters “Trump: ‘We’re not paying for Iran’s damage claims at the UN’—president vows to veto any such resolution.” Read the report
The dispute stems from strikes launched last week against suspected missile depots in central Iran, which the U.S. military says were used by Iranian-backed militias to attack American forces in Iraq. Iran’s UN mission issued a press release on Friday, suggesting that Article 41 of the UN Charter could allow the Security Council to require reparations. The administration dismissed that interpretation as “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
“No international court or council has jurisdiction to tax the United States for defending its troops,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “We acted lawfully and will continue to do so.”
@JakeSullivan46 “The UN has no authority to bill the U.S. for protecting our soldiers—end of story.” Sullivan’s post
Legal experts interviewed by CNN say that while UN resolutions under Chapter VII can impose sanctions or authorize force, they cannot unilaterally impose financial liabilities on member states without their consent. “There is no mechanism for forced reparations,” explained Prof. Mary Ellen O’Connell of Notre Dame Law School.
@CNNPolitics “Can the UN make the U.S. pay? Experts say reparations clause just isn’t there.” Legal breakdown
Behind the scenes, the U.S. mission to the UN has been lobbying Security Council members to reject any draft resolution on reparations. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told AP News that “we will make clear to our partners that Iran’s proposal is a dangerous precedent that undermines collective security.”
@AP “U.S. diplomats on overdrive to kill Iran reparations bid at UN—source says push intense.” Diplomatic update
Several Security Council members, including France and the United Kingdom, have expressed skepticism. In a joint statement released by GOV.UK, Paris and London said that “while we condemn any unlawful attacks, reparations must be negotiated bilaterally, not imposed via UN procedure.”
Iranian state media, however, celebrated Tehran’s gambit. The Press TV headline proclaimed, “Tehran’s Moral Victory at UN: U.S. Exposed as Lawbreaker,” while hard-line clerics called for tougher measures against American “aggression.”
@PressTV “Iran scores diplomatic point—UN forced to discuss U.S. reparations.” State media tweet
On Capitol Hill, reaction was swift and bipartisan. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin (D–MD) denounced Iran’s move as “a legal charade” in a statement shared by Politico. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R–SC) tweeted, “If Iran wants to get paid, they should pay reparations for American hostages they held in the ’70s.”
@SenLindseyGraham “Let’s talk about Iran’s own rap sheet before reparations—hypocrisy knows no bounds.” Graham’s reaction
As tensions escalate, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that the administration remains focused on deterring Iranian attacks and protecting U.S. forces. “We’ll continue to hold Iran accountable, on the battlefield and in the diplomatic arena,” she told reporters, as covered by NBC News.
@NBCNews “WH: We reject Iran’s UN reparations plan—focus is on security, not payments.” Press briefing clip
International law scholars caution that while Iran’s bid is unlikely to succeed, the episode highlights growing friction in the post-nuclear-deal era. “This is part of Iran’s broader strategy to internationalize its grievances,” says Prof. Philippe Sands of University College London in a feature for Financial Times. “Even if they lose in New York, they score points in Tehran.”
For now, the United States stands firm: no payments, no negotiations through the UN for strike reparations, and a vow to veto any draft resolution attempting to obligate U.S. taxpayers. As Trump’s blunt response reverberates, the world watches to see if this diplomatic skirmish will merely fizzle or further widen the gulf between Washington and Tehran.
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