President Trump: Iran is unable to pay its military expenses and killed protesters amid escalating sanctions.

The day after the United States announced global economic sanctions against Iran, President Donald Trump said Tehran was unable to pay its military personnel while killing protesters, calling it a “humanitarian crisis.”

Other parts of the region reported renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. A maritime trade intelligence firm said traffic in the strait rose slightly last week despite the risks.

Trump posted on Truth Social early Tuesday morning (August 25), “The crumbling Islamic Republic of Iran is not only behind on paying most of its military personnel, but it is also killing protesters on an unprecedented scale, even those who are not protesting.”

He added, “This is a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale that must be stopped immediately.”

The president has commented on Iran’s actions earlier this year in response to massive protests, repeatedly accusing Iran of killing more than 52,000 people in four months and demanding compensation from Tehran for the victims’ families.

The U.S. Treasury Department launched a massive global economic operation on Monday, saying it was aimed at isolating Iran and urging Tehran’s trading partners to cut off the regime’s financial lifeline or face consequences.

These measures come after President Trump recently stated that the U.S. has no plans to negotiate with Iran and claimed that U.S. forces control the Strait of Hormuz and will continue to do so.

A new attack on commercial shipping occurred in the strait on Monday, according to a report from the UK Maritime Safety Authority. The UK Maritime Transport Office (UKMTO) said in a statement that an oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile, damaging its engine room and rendering the vessel unable to navigate.
The report stated that all crew members are safe, and the environmental impact of the incident was unclear at the time of publication.

Previously, maritime trade intelligence firm Kpler said that traffic through the strait had increased last week, but warned that these figures masked rising risks. The company said that overall, the number of vessels passing through had increased, but the number of cargo ships had decreased, and the number of sanctioned vessels had increased.

Qatar said on Tuesday that the situation in the strait should return to its pre-crisis state and reiterated its support for resolving the issue through diplomatic means.

“For Qatar, it is important that navigation in the Strait of Hormuz return to normal, exports resume, global energy security is ensured, global food security is ensured, and supply chain security is ensured,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari told reporters.

He said, “This certainly needs to be resolved through diplomatic channels, ultimately achieving a result beneficial to the entire region and all its people, including the Iranian people.”

When asked about the new US sanctions against Tehran, Ansari said these measures against Iran were unilateral, noting Qatar’s support for mediation efforts to resolve the conflict between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that negotiations between Pakistan and Iran on resolving the Middle East conflict had made “significant progress.”

Naqvi traveled to Tehran on Monday with Iranian Army Chief of Staff Marshal Asim Munir. He stated that they held “very positive and productive” talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, focusing on the US-Iran conflict and “the measures needed for both sides to restore the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.” He was referring to the memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran in June.

“We still hope this momentum will pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region,” Naqvi posted on X.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi also visited Tehran on Tuesday and held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Both countries stated they are negotiating the administration of the Strait of Hormuz.