OAN Staff Addie Davis
1:50 PM – Wednesday, August 12, 2026
President Donald Trump outlined the condition of the Iranian military, asserting that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) “is decimated and fleeing.”
The president added that the U.S. maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial transit point that handled roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas prior to the conflict.
“The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THNK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday.
“They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their ‘Leadership’ is uncertain, at best!” he continued.
Pointing to Iran’s economic distress, Trump dismissed the regime’s military threat, declaring that its remaining tool is “FAKE NEWS” while skyrocketing inflation and crippling financial crises paralyze the country from within.
“They have No Money — Their country is ‘shot.’ All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION, and getting worse! Iran is all talk and no action, the Bully of the Middle East No Longer,” he added.
The announcement comes after President Trump informed Axios on Sunday that the U.S. was “low-keying” negotiations with Iran, emphasizing their economic challenges.
“We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,” he told the outlet.
Following an Iranian official spouting off a list of demands for the reopening of the strait, Trump flipped the script, shooting back his own set of demands of the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s Demands
On Saturday, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, listed six hardline conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. These included the withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from the region, an immediate end to sanctions and financial compensation/reparations for war damages inflicted by the U.S. and Israel.
Trump’s Counter-Demands
On Monday, President Trump publicly rejected Iran’s conditions and flipped the script by demanding that Tehran pay war reparations instead. Trump instructed negotiators to insist that Iran pay compensation for U.S. service members killed or wounded by Iranian-backed forces (such as roadside bombs and the USS Cole attack) and for the families of Iranian citizens killed during anti-regime protests over past decades.
“I see that Representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran are asking for compensation for the damage done to them during the last five month Military Conflict…now I am likewise demanding compensation from Iran, for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs, and many conflicts,” he said on Monday.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
Be the first to comment