Untitled design – 2026-04-17T112129.656

LIVE COVERAGE: Hegseth Says Obama Deal Fueled Terror and Helped Iran Chase Nuclear Weapons

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Protest

Revolution

A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is holding for now, but pressure is mounting across multiple fronts.
Here is a breakdown of where the conflict stands:
<h3>Iran Floats Proposal, Sidesteps Nuclear Demands</h3>
The Iranian regime has reportedly floated a new proposal to the United States: end the war and lift the blockade in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to the <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/iran-offers-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz-if-u-s-lifts-its-blockade-and-the-war-ends-officials-say">Associated Press</a>. The proposal does not immediately address U.S. demands regarding Iran’s nuclear program and instead calls for ending the conflict before any negotiations on the issue take place.
President Donald Trump is expected to meet with his top national security officials to discuss the situation in Iran, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/27/world/live-news/iran-war-trump-israel#cmoh5xuho00003b6q0dewnpeg">CNN reported</a>. The current ceasefire was extended for an unspecified period last week as Trump weighs his next moves. Options under consideration likely include resuming the U.S. bombing campaign, maintaining economic pressure and the naval blockade to force Iran back to the negotiating table, or pursuing a broader end to the war.
Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, on Monday accused Tehran of stalling negotiations and humiliating the American government, saying Iran’s leadership is “very skillful at not negotiating” after U.S. envoys traveled for talks that yielded no results, according to Reuters.
“The Iranians are obviously very skilled ⁠at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad ​and then leave again without any result,” <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5850794-germany-chancellor-merz-iran-us/">Merz said</a>. “An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible.”
U.S. Blockade Chokes Strait of Hormuz Traffic
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped sharply as the U.S. Navy implemented a blockade on ships going to or from Iranian ports.
According to Reuters, only seven vessels have passed through the strait in the past day, down from the 125-140 that typically transited before Operation Epic Fury began in February.
At least six vessels carrying 10.5 million barrels of Iranian oil were forced back to port, according to the satellite tracker, <a href="https://x.com/TankerTrackers/status/2048431267742401020?s=20">TankerTrackers.com.</a> Two additional tankers carrying around four million barrels of Iranian oil reportedly managed to sail past the blockade on April 24.
Since the blockade was announced on April 13, about 37 vessels have been turned back, <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2048142422702510115">according to the U.S. Central Command</a>.
The U.S. has also upped its presence in the region with the arrival of the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft strike group to the Middle East. It joins the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford strike groups. Together, they bring more than 200 aircraft and approximately 15,000 Sailors and Marines to the region.
The Iranian regime is still attempting to assert its authority in the strait, despite its depleted navy. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission in Iran’s parliament, said the country’s armed forces would take full authority over the strait under a proposed law aimed at regulating transit and potentially barring “hostile vessels,” reported the <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/iran-says-its-armed-forces-should-be-authority-for-strait-of-hormuz/">Times of Israel</a>. So far, Iran has used small vessels to intimidate and shoot at commercial vessels attempting to transit.
<h3>Iranian Diplomat On Tour</h3>
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is on a multi-stop “timely tour” to coordinate with key allies as tensions escalate with the United States.
Ahead of the trip, Araghchi announced he would visit Pakistan, Oman, and Russia to consult on regional developments, emphasizing that “our neighbors are our priority.”
In Pakistan, he described his visit as “very fruitful,” praising Islamabad’s role in attempting to restore peace in the region through mediating. He added that he has yet to see if the “U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.”
In Oman, Araghchi <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2048519460793761995">highlighted</a> discussions focused on the Strait of Hormuz, stressing ensuring “safe transit that is to benefit of all dear neighbors and the world,” adding again that “our neighbors are our priority.”
During the current conflict, Iran has fired missiles or drones affecting at least a dozen countries across the region, including Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
Araghchi later traveled to Russia, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. According to The Times of Israel, Putin said Moscow would “do everything” possible to help secure peace in the Middle East and expressed hope that stability would return to the region. During the visit, Araghchi blamed the United States for the failure of recent negotiations, arguing that “excessive demands” from Washington derailed talks that had otherwise made progress.
“For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests, the interests of all the people of the region, so that peace can be achieved as soon as possible,” Russian state media quoted Putin as telling Araghchi.
Fighting Reignites Along Israel-Lebanon Border
Fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah is resuming despite an extended ceasefire.
Hezbollah launched a series of drone attacks in recent days, including a strike on Monday morning that triggered air-raid sirens across in northern Israel and sent thousands of civilians rushing to shelters.
The Israel Defense Forces said it fired an interceptor missile at the incoming UAV, but ultimately lost contact with the target. No injuries were reported, though additional alerts were activated over concerns of falling debris, and images circulated of children taking cover in shelters.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;הפסקת אש&#8221; בצפון: 
האזעקות בצהריים בשל חדירת שלושה כטבמים 
לגליל המערבי, תפסו תלמידים בבתי ספר בעיצומם של הלימודים. נותר להם לשכב ולשים ידיים על הראש. 
זו השיגרה כאן מאז שהוכרזה הפסקת האש בלבנון: ירי רקטות וכטבמים, פיצוצים, מטוסי קרב וכל מה שלא נופל תחת ההגדרה של הפסקת אש. <a href="https://t.co/OGXYlfOh0n">pic.twitter.com/OGXYlfOh0n</a>
— Rubi Hammerschlag | רובי המרשלג (@rubih67) <a href="https://twitter.com/rubih67/status/2048381773822726342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The attack caused officials in northern border towns to suspend school and increase security restrictions to be stronger than those implemented by Israel’s official Home Front Command.
Israel has stepped up its military operations in Lebanon, carrying out a wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley and southern regions. Targets included rocket-launching cells, a loaded launcher ready for immediate use, and weapons storage facilities. The military also said it has dismantled more than 50 terrorist sites in recent days, including a weapons cache discovered inside a children’s room.
The escalation comes despite a recent agreement to extend the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon by three weeks following meetings at the White House involving their ambassadors, President Donald Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 
Following a meeting with the U.N.’s special coordinator for Lebanon, Gideon Sa&#8217;ar <a href="https://x.com/gidonsaar/status/2048745481543528640">said Monday</a> Hezbollah continues to violate the ceasefire “against Lebanon’s interests.”

Mojtaba and Trump

Where Things Stand In The Iran War Right Now

Global Politics

Hezbollah

Israel

Lebanon

World

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday morning for another round of talks with Iranian representatives.
Leavitt said the discussions will be direct but facilitated by Pakistani intermediaries, whom she described as “incredible friends” throughout the negotiation process. According to Leavitt, Iranian officials requested the in-person meeting after President Donald Trump publicly called for talks.
“The president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say,” Leavitt said. “We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward toward a deal.”
The announcement comes as a second round of negotiations has yet to take place following lengthy talks earlier this month, which ended without an agreement after Iranian officials refused to concede on key aspects of their nuclear program.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the previous round of discussions, said at the time that the United States had presented what he described as its “final and best offer,” but Tehran declined to accept the terms.
According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/24/world/live-news/iran-war-trump-israel-lebanon?post-id=cmod2zf3l00003b6tid3t5lg4">CNN</a>, Vance is not expected to attend this latest round of talks because Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and a senior figure seen by White House officials as leading Tehran’s delegation, is also not participating. Vance is expected to remain on standby and could travel to Islamabad if negotiations show signs of progress.
Despite not making a deal, Trump extended the two-week long ceasefire without an agreement while waiting for what he called a “unified” response from the Iranian government.
“President Trump has made his red lines throughout this entire process very clear. He was flexible in extending the ceasefire, and so Steve and Jared will be off,” Leavitt said.
The diplomatic push comes as Iran’s internal power structure appears increasingly unstable under the son and successor to former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly recovering from severe injuries and has been largely sidelined from day-to-day governance while hardline military generals are holding significant power, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/burned-and-disfigured-irans-nepo-supreme-leader-needs-plastic-surgery?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Burned+And+Disfigured%3A+Iran%E2%80%99s+Nepo+Supreme+Leader+Needs+Plastic+Surgery">according to</a> a report from The New York Times.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2047685407941296331">confirmed</a> he is traveling to Islamabad as part of a broader “timely tour” that will also include stops in Muscat and Moscow. He said the purpose of the trip is to coordinate with regional partners and consult on ongoing developments.
The diplomatic push comes as Trump said Thursday he is in no rush to reach a deal.
“For those people, fewer in number now than ever before, that are reading The Failing New York Times, or watching Fake News CNN, that think that I am ‘anxious’ to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position. I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking!” Trump said.
Trump also pointed to what he described as Iran’s deteriorating military position and the impact of the ongoing U.S. blockade, arguing that leverage remains firmly in Washington’s hands as negotiations continue.
“Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side!” he added.

Trump Monitors Military Operations at White House

All Eyes On Islamabad As High-Stakes U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Ramp Up

Donald Trump

Jared Kushner

Operation Epic Fury

Pakistan

Politics

Steve Witkoff

Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly recovering from severe injuries and may require plastic surgery after an airstrike that killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei.
The attack, which also killed his wife and son, has left the 56-year-old leader physically debilitated, largely isolated, and increasingly reliant on hardline military commanders to govern, according to the New York Times, citing senior Iranian officials.
Khamenei has been cut off from most officials as he recovers, surrounded primarily by medical staff amid concerns that revealing his location could make him a target, according to the report. Despite his condition, officials say he remains mentally alert and continues to weigh in on major decisions, though day-to-day authority has increasingly shifted toward hardline military commanders.
Questions about his health have intensified in recent weeks. Since being selected by Iran&#8217;s Assembly of Experts following his father’s death in March, Khamenei has not made a public appearance, with only written statements released in his name. 
The Times reported that his injuries include significant damage to one leg and one hand, requiring multiple surgeries, as well as severe facial burns that have limited his ability to speak and could likely necessitate reconstructive surgery.
Iranian regime officials have reportedly taken dramatic steps to conceal Khamenei&#8217;s location from the United States and Israel. The regime is relying on handwritten messages delivered through a network of trusted couriers traveling by car and motorcycle to avoid detection.
Born into Iran’s ruling elite, Khamenei followed a path that blended religious study with military involvement. As a teenager, he joined an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps brigade known as the Habib Battalion during the Iran-Iraq War. He later completed his education at a theological seminary, attaining the rank of ayatollah, and worked closely within his father’s inner circle, helping coordinate military and intelligence operations.
Despite his influence behind the scenes, he has never held elected office or served in a formal senior government role. He has also faced international scrutiny, including sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department in 2019, and has been accused of involvement in the regime’s crackdown on the 2009 Green Movement protests.
The elder Khamenei was selected as supreme leader following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who overthrew Iran’s dynastic shah during the 1979 revolution. With his son now assuming the position, the transition has raised questions about whether the Islamic Republic is drifting toward another form of dynastic rule.
His rise to power followed the sudden killing of his father on the first day of the United States and Israel’s attack on the Iranian regime. But unlike his father — who maintained a tight grip over nearly all aspects of the government and the IRGC — Khamenei lacks the same religious authority and political stature and appears far more dependent on military leaders.
With Khamenei sidelined by his injuries, hardline generals have taken on a dominant role in decision-making, shaping Iran’s posture at a critical moment. Their growing influence is believed to have played a role in Tehran’s refusal to participate in a second round of talks with American officials in Pakistan this week.
Following the Times report, senior Iranian officials moved quickly to project unity, issuing closely aligned statements reaffirming loyalty to the regime — even as military leaders are reportedly taking on a larger role in decision-making. President <a href="https://x.com/drpezeshkian/status/2047378690284093905">Masoud Pezeshkian</a> insisted there are no internal divisions, writing, “In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates’… only unity and obedience to the Supreme Leader,” while Parliament Speaker <a href="https://x.com/mb_ghalibaf/status/2047358416989847705">Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf</a> and judiciary chief <a href="https://x.com/ejei_org/status/2047354278847643748">Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje&#8217;i</a> echoed the same message.

Mojtaba Khamenei, Son Of Irans Supreme Leader

Burned And Disfigured: Iran’s Nepo Supreme Leader Needs Plastic Surgery

Mojtaba Khamenei

As the risk of fighting between the United States and Iran threatens to reignite, China is caught in a bind, trying to protect its interests without getting dragged into the conflict.
Although China may soon feel pressure from reduced energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, Beijing’s approach so far has been defined by restraint, risk management, and opportunism, according to experts interviewed by The Daily Wire.
“For Beijing, the primary objective is to mitigate the downside,” said Elizabeth Economy, a Hargrove Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution with expertise on Chinese domestic and foreign policy. “This includes navigating through the threat of a global economic recession, managing its disparate relations with countries in the Middle East, and ensuring that it maintains access to the energy it needs.”
Roughly 45% to 50% of China’s crude oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. In 2025, more than half of its crude oil and nearly one-third of its liquefied natural gas came from the Middle East, <a href="https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/implications-of-the-conflict-in-the-middle-east-for-chinas-energy-security/">according to</a> Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.
Official Chinese government data shows 42% of its crude (about 4.9 million barrels per day) comes from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. An estimated additional 12% comes from Iran, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinas-heavy-reliance-iranian-oil-imports-2026-01-13/">Kpler</a>, even though Beijing has reported no Iranian imports since 2022. Oil from the Iranian-linked illicit “dark fleet” is often relabeled as from other countries, or transferred to different ships to disguise its origin because of U.S. sanctions.
<div id="attachment_1081679" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1081679" class="size-large wp-image-1081679" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-461x576.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-461x576.jpg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-240x300.jpg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-768x960.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040.jpg 819w" sizes=" (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" />Infographic with map showing how oil from Iran is transported to China circumventing sanctions with transfers to other vessels near Singapore (Graphic by AFP via Getty Images)</div>
The U.S.-imposed blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports and its coastline has put increasing pressure on the regime and its primary buyer: China. 
“Beijing has reportedly been in contact with Tehran on shipping and de-escalation issues and has urged restraint,” Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said.
One vessel that drew international attention this week was the Rich Starry. A sanctioned-tanker bound for China and carrying roughly 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded in the United Arab Emirates, it appeared to transit the Strait of Hormuz before turning back toward Iranian waters after encountering the blockade.
The United States expanded the blockade last week to target Iranian-linked sanctioned vessels worldwide. These ships, known as the “dark fleet,” have allowed Tehran to continue exporting oil despite sanctions by using tankers with obscured ownership, falsified tracking data, and other methods to conceal the origin of Iranian crude — much of which flows to China.
That expanded effort was enforced in the Indo-Pacific for the first time this week, marking a shift beyond the Middle East as U.S. forces intercepted and boarded the Iran-linked sanctioned M/T Tifani.
Even if the blockade continues, China has significant reserves to cushion the impact of the blockade or conflict in the short term.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.⁰⁰As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit… <a href="https://t.co/EGwDe3dBI3">pic.twitter.com/EGwDe3dBI3</a>
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2046544038812156177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“The impact on China’s energy access appears relatively limited,” said Singleton. “China has spent years building up significant strategic reserves and investing in alternative energy sources, including nuclear and renewables, to buffer against supply shocks.”
According to geospatial analytics firm Kayrros, China had roughly 1.39 billion barrels of oil in storage — enough to cover about 120 days of net crude imports at 2025 levels. Additional oil is still in transit, awaiting customs clearance, or in floating storage in Asia.
Still, those buffers are not a long-term solution. Beijing may eventually turn to demand reduction measures, including curbing consumption or allowing state-owned energy firms to raise prices, according to the Columbia University-run center.
Smaller Chinese refineries, known as “teapot refineries,” could feel the pressure first. Many shifted from Venezuelan crude to cheap Iranian oil after the United States moved against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Operating on thin margins, these refiners are particularly vulnerable to price spikes or prolonged disruption.
“In terms of price, China is facing the same problem the rest of the world is,” Michael Sobolik, a Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute focusing on U.S.-China relations said. “Their smaller refiners are struggling, for sure. But in terms of supply, Beijing will be fine, at least for now.”
“But the longer this conflict goes on, the tougher it&#8217;ll become,” he added.
China’s reliance on Iranian oil also creates broader diplomatic challenges.
After the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in Operation Epic Fury, the regime responded with rocket and drone attacks on its Arab neighbors, including Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — many of which China depends on for energy and trade.
That leaves Beijing trying to maintain ties with both Iran and its regional rivals at the same time.
Sobolik said China’s own role in supporting Iran’s missiles adds another layer of complexity.
“It supplied rocket fuel for Iranian missiles, and Tehran has fired those missiles at its Arab neighbors,” Sobolik said. “Beijing needs good relations with those countries for energy reasons, so Beijing may encounter some difficult diplomatic dynamics ahead.”
Though a continued conflict could force China to diversify or take sides, experts say a major shift is unlikely for now.
“Iran has historically been a discounted and politically useful supplier for Beijing,” said Singleton. “Over time, this could create stronger incentives for China to diversify supply, but a full realignment would likely require a more durable disruption or a fundamentally different regime in Tehran.”
Though China was rumored to play a role in pushing negotiations that led to the April 8 ceasefire, experts say Beijing’s role may have been more limited.
“It looks like China leaned on Iran to accept a round of negotiations in Pakistan,” said Sobolik. However, he cautioned that Beijing’s influence over Tehran has clear limits.
“China can’t guarantee Iran’s safety, nor can they compel the regime to give up its quest for nuclear weapons,” Sobolik said.
China also refrained from publicly taking a high-profile diplomatic role in negotiations, to have flexibility and avoid being blamed if talks failed. 
Economy said this approach “minimizes China’s political risk and enables Beijing to avoid blame or embarrassment if the negotiations stall or collapse.” It also helps China avoid being “called out for hypocrisy when it talks about protection of international law and respect for sovereignty, given its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.”
The Iran conflict may be a topic in the upcoming U.S.-China summit scheduled for May 14–15, when President Donald Trump is set to meet Xi Jinping in China, but experts say the conflict has not significantly damaged relations between the two countries.
“It has introduced additional friction, particularly around energy flows and the blockade, but it does not appear to have fundamentally altered the broader trajectory of the relationship,” said Singleton. “Both sides still seem interested in managing tensions and preserving space for engagement where possible.”
Economy offered a similar assessment, saying the conflict has not derailed ties ahead of the summit, which remains a priority for both governments.
<div id="attachment_1081683" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1081683" class="wp-image-1081683 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />US President Donald Trump (L) and China&#8217;s President Xi Jinping shake hands as they arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
“I don&#8217;t think it has soured the relationship,” Economy said. “The summit remains a priority for both Trump and Xi, and the issues they will be discussing are largely bilateral in nature.”
She added that the meeting could still be postponed if the blockade or a more active conflict against Iran is ongoing. 
“The biggest focus for the summit — barring a new major international crisis — will be trade,” Economy said. “It is the one channel that both countries are most eager to stabilize.”
Sobolik noted that both Trump and China have “been careful to maintain positive rhetoric,” with one exception: reports that China was considering selling surface-to-air missiles to Iran.
“There were reports that China was about to sell surface-to-air missiles to Iran, which would&#8217;ve targeted U.S. helicopters and close air support planes flying over Iran,” he said, adding that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also threatened secondary sanctions on Chinese banks with Iranian accounts.
China responded by denying the reports, calling them “purely fabricated” and threatening to take “countermeasures” if such tariff hikes were implemented.
China is not simply reacting to the ongoing conflict — it is also looking for openings to advance its broader geopolitical vision.
“Is there an opportunity to demonstrate the value of China’s alternative order,” Economy said, “for example by underscoring the value of mediation over military action and the weakness of the U.S.-led alliance system in managing the conflict?”
That balancing act of minimizing risk while probing for advantage has become the defining feature of China’s response to the war.

Gemini_Generated_Image_cxc5vxcxc5vxcxc5

China Tries To Play Both Sides In Iran, But Cracks Are Starting To Show

China

Oil prices spiked on Wednesday, with Brent crude climbing over $100 per barrel, after President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran.
A second ceasefire extension likely caused worry for investors that negotiations are not progressing, which would account for the spike. Additionally, the U.S. benchmark — West Texas Intermediate crude — rose by more than 2% to above $90 a barrel. The national average for gas prices remains near $4 per gallon, which is the highest rate since 2022. 
The lack of progress in negotiations means that repeated Iranian attacks — in addition to the ongoing U.S. blockade of all ships heading to or from Iranian ports — continue to impact oil prices by limiting the amount of oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
Also on Wednesday, Iran attacked both a container ship and a cargo ship as they traveled through the strait. Iran claimed the ships had “entered the area without proper authorization and allegedly tampered with their navigation systems.” Iran has stated that it will not tolerate any disruption to the “order and safety of the Strait of Hormuz.”
U.S. indices rose in response with the S&amp;P 500 up just below 1%. The Nasdaq is up 1.2%, and the Dow Jones up 0.7%. Oil futures continued to signal that within the next six months, oil could drop back down not only to the double-digits but could possibly even dip below <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/insights/economic-research/2026/implications-of-wti-oil-futures-in-backwardation-amid-the-supply-crunch.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">pre-war prices</a>. Late-2026 futures are trading near $40 per barrel, and expectations point to oil prices easing to the mid-$70s by the end of the year.
Most industries are feeling the impact of higher prices, but the global aviation sector in particular is experiencing significant disruption. Alaska Air and American Airlines have raised checked bag fees, and Alaska Air has withdrawn its profit forecast due to rising jet fuel costs.
Still, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Congress on Wednesday he suspects oil prices will be down soon. &#8220;Future prices are much lower than we are at present. I think the conflict will end. I think gasoline prices will come back to where they were, or perhaps lower.&#8221;

Oil Rig

Oil Prices Spike Dramatically As Iran Ceasefire Extends, Negotiations Stall

Crude Oil

Oil and Gas

President Donald Trump admitted during a Tuesday interview that when he decided to take military action against Iran, he had expected oil prices to rise even higher than they have.
The president faces daily pushback over the rising oil prices tied to the conflict with Iran, but as he explained on CNBC, he had been prepared to weather even harsher criticism because he thought prices could potentially surge as high as $200 per barrel.
“If you would have told me that oil was at $90 as opposed to $200, I would be frankly surprised,” said President Trump, explaining that while the hotly-contested Strait of Hormuz is certainly important, people have found other sources for oil. “It’s an amazing phenomenon but when there are problems, people find out how to take care of things.&#8221;
If oil prices do reach Trump&#8217;s predicted $200 per barrel, they would be above record pricing. Oil prices peaked at $150 per barrel back in 2008 — which would be equivalent to about <a href="https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2008?amount=150#:~:text=%24150%20in%202008%20is%20equivalent,cumulative%20price%20increase%20of%2053.37%25.">$230</a> per barrel today. Oil prices, currently at $90 per barrel, are the highest they have been since 2022. 
Trump said he had also expected the stock market to be in a worse position due to the hostilities in the Middle East: “Look at the S&amp;P 500 Index — it’s trading at exactly the same level as when we began all this. I thought it would drop 20% or more, and that oil prices would be much higher — but I’m pleased to say that hasn’t happened.”
The President explained that he felt he had to make the decision to allow the market to take a short-term hit in order to avoid one in the long run. 
“When I hit 50,000 on the DOW and 7,000 on the S&amp;P, I said I hate to do this to everybody, but I’m going to have to journey down to a place called Iran and make sure they don’t have a nuclear weapon because they will blow up the world,” Trump said, adding, “You want to see a bad stock market, try blowing up the Middle East then Europe and then they come for us.” 
Oil futures are signaling that, within the next six months, oil could drop back down to <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/insights/economic-research/2026/implications-of-wti-oil-futures-in-backwardation-amid-the-supply-crunch.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">pre-war prices</a>. Late 2026 futures have traded around $40 per barrel, and overall expectations suggest oil prices will fall to the mid-$70s by year&#8217;s end.

President Trump

Trump Braced For Oil Prices To Skyrocket As Iran Tensions Rose

Economy

As the specter of state-sanctioned execution reportedly looms over eight women in Iran, President Trump has issued a direct appeal to Tehran, marking a high-stakes moment of personal diplomacy amid ongoing conflict.
The move comes as the international community faces increasing pressure to address the Iranian regime’s brutal internal crackdown, which has reportedly claimed the lives of thousands of dissidents.
Taking to <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116442908819175250">Truth Social</a>, President Trump addressed the Iranian leadership directly, linking the fate of the condemned women to future diplomatic relations. &#8220;To the Iranian leaders, who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives: I would greatly appreciate the release of these women,&#8221; Trump wrote. He urged the regime to &#8220;do them no harm,&#8221; adding that such a gesture &#8220;would be a great start to our negotiations.&#8221;
The president&#8217;s intervention highlights his preference for direct, personality-driven negotiations, even as the U.S. remains engaged in a broader military and economic effort to pressure the regime. However, while the White House leverages the looming negotiations for humanitarian concessions, prominent activists are setting their sights on the Vatican.
Famed Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad launched a scathing public appeal to Pope Leo XIV, criticizing what she perceives as a tepid response from the Holy See regarding the regime’s &#8220;straight-up brutality.&#8221; Alinejad challenged the pope’s silence on the execution of protesters and the abuse of women, asking if such acts qualify as a &#8220;massacre&#8221; or if the Vatican is &#8220;still workshopping the language.&#8221;
&#8220;When the people who actually claim to speak for God stay quiet… it kinda sounds like God’s on mute,&#8221; Alinejad wrote. &#8220;Are you going to say something about it, or is this one of those moments where silence is the safest prayer?&#8221;
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So, dear Pope, quick question:
You’ve got these guys in Iran who say they’re doing God’s work… by hanging protesters at sunrise and beating women into forced confessions. Apparently, that’s what “holy” looks like now.
And I’m just wondering, when people get executed for asking… <a href="https://t.co/AYdPmp8RJt">pic.twitter.com/AYdPmp8RJt</a>
&mdash; Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/2046553813398491632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Pope Leo XIV has previously addressed the region with a focus on de-escalation rather than direct condemnation of the regime&#8217;s tactics. In mid-January, as the regime massacred thousands of Iranian citizens, the pope <a href="https://angelusnews.com/news/vatican/pope-leo-iran/#:~:text=11%2C%20Pope%20Leo%20said%20his,continue%20to%20claim%20many%20lives.%22">remarked</a> that his thoughts were with Iran and Syria, noting that &#8220;ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives&#8221; and calling for &#8220;patiently nurtured&#8221; dialogue. Following the commencement of U.S. military actions, the pope warned of a &#8220;tragedy of enormous proportions,&#8221; urging both the U.S. and Iran to halt the &#8220;spiral of violence&#8221; before it reached an &#8220;irreparable abyss.&#8221;
Critics argue that the pope’s emphasis on &#8220;mutual threats&#8221; and &#8220;responsible dialogue&#8221; creates a false moral equivalence between a democratic state and a despotic regime that hangs its own citizens at sunrise. As the execution date for the eight women reportedly <a href="https://x.com/DavidAltonHL/status/2045958462727700619?s=20">approaches</a>, the contrast between Trump’s transactional plea and the pope’s calls for &#8220;authentic dialogue&#8221; has intensified the debate over how the West should confront Tehran’s domestic atrocities.

MixCollage-21-Apr-2026-10-44-AM-9104

Dissidents Slam Pope’s Silence As Trump Intervenes To Save Iranian Women From Execution

execution

Pope Leo

Women

Leftist and perennial Trump-critic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy got hammered online after he appeared to cheer for the failure of the U.S. against Iran.
On Monday, following reports that at least 26 vessels from Iran’s &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; successfully bypassed a U.S. blockade, the Connecticut senator offered a succinct, one-word response on social media: “Awesome.”
The backlash was swift and deservedly brutal.
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Year of our Lord 2026: Democrat US Senator openly rooting for Iran to defeat the US in battle. Every Dem on the Hill ought to be hounded today by every reporter to answer for this lunatic. <a href="https://t.co/8ixSVsGFRo">pic.twitter.com/8ixSVsGFRo</a>
&mdash; Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/2046545767913951311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Democratic politicians continue to condemn the U.S. campaign against Iran in the midst of critical talks. Yet, few have come close to the extremes of Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), who just responded to a report of 26 Iranian vessels evading the U.S. blockade with &quot;awesome&quot;&#8230;
&mdash; Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanTurley/status/2046563825839718445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Democrats are openly cheering for the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/Mk787lUOpa">pic.twitter.com/Mk787lUOpa</a>
&mdash; Ryan Saavedra (@RyanSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanSaavedra/status/2046443906120999240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Go Iran!&quot; exclaimed the United States Senator.
&mdash; Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) <a href="https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/2046467330927190162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator Chris Murphy….. RESIGN, TRAITOR!! <a href="https://t.co/THSNOFHap0">https://t.co/THSNOFHap0</a>
&mdash; Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) <a href="https://twitter.com/atensnut/status/2046575350381998274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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This douche bag should be censored and never allowed on a US military installation ever again. Our troops deserve better than seditious rhetoric from a sitting “representative.”
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuzzPatterson/status/2046455113620029740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Murphy later clarified that his comment was &#8220;sarcasm.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not “awesome”. As I have said a million times here, it’s a disaster and he should end the war immediately. My tweet was something called “sarcasm”. <a href="https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1">https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1</a>
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/2046590235643896291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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But to further humiliate Murphy, reports later surfaced that the claim of the 26 ships was a fiction:
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“So that was just Iranian propaganda?”
“Yes, absolutely.”<a href="https://twitter.com/TreyYingst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreyYingst</a> reports there’s no evidence any vessels left Iranian ports or moved through the Strait of Hormuz — undercutting the false narrative about 26 Iranian ships slipping past a U.S. blockade. | <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> <a href="https://t.co/jnUB9yoSFK">pic.twitter.com/jnUB9yoSFK</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2046568720781156395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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For those who have watched Murphy’s trajectory, this wasn&#8217;t an isolated gaffe; it was the culmination of a long-standing pattern of freelance diplomacy and radical rhetoric.
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Back in 2020, Murphy was caught in a &#8220;secret meeting&#8221; in Munich with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif—a meeting first exposed by The Federalist. At the time, Murphy <a href="https://halifax.citynews.ca/2020/02/18/us-lawmaker-defends-meeting-with-iran-fm-in-munich/">defended</a> his back-channeling, claiming it was &#8220;dangerous not to talk to one’s enemies.&#8221; Critics, however, were quick to point out the staggering hypocrisy: Murphy had spent years shrieking about &#8220;collusion&#8221; regarding Trump officials’ contacts with foreign leaders, yet saw no issue with undermining sitting U.S. policy while meeting with a regime responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.
</div>
<div>
As the U.S. recently ramped up military pressure to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, Murphy’s rhetoric shifted from &#8220;diplomat&#8221; to &#8220;defeatist.&#8221; He has repeatedly characterized U.S. actions as &#8220;dangerously illegal,&#8221; &#8220;unnecessary,&#8221; and a &#8220;<a href="https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-trumps-illegal-war-with-iran">mistake of staggering scale</a>.&#8221; He has gone so far as to accuse the administration of &#8220;terrorizing innocent Iranians&#8221; and <a href="https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-substack-pay-attention-when-your-president-promises-to-commit-war-crimes">committing “war crimes</a>,&#8221; all while bizarrely suggesting that the 25th Amendment be used against a president he describes as &#8220;unglued&#8221; and a &#8220;would-be dictator.&#8221;
</div>
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Murphy’s obsession with &#8220;collectivism&#8221; and his disdain for American &#8220;individualism&#8221; often mirror the talking points of the very radicals he empowers. While he bloviates about the &#8220;trillions wasted&#8221; in overseas conflicts, he remains curiously silent on the billions in oil revenue his preferred policies allow to flow back into Tehran’s coffers.
</div>
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To Murphy, a U.S. blockade being outmaneuvered by a rogue regime isn&#8217;t a security failure—it’s &#8220;awesome.&#8221;
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It is a chilling reminder that for some in the Senate, the goal isn&#8217;t American victory; it’s the managed decline of the West in favor of the &#8220;warmth&#8221; of globalist submission.
</div>

Brexit

‘Resign, Traitor’: Chris Murphy Torched After Shocking Post Celebrating False Iranian Ship Success

Chris Murphy

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump continued his ongoing feud with Pope Leo XIV this week, posing a pair of pointed questions about the Vatican’s opposition to the war in Iran in what marks another sharp rhetorical blow.
In a Monday <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/us-news/trump-reveals-his-2-burning-iran-questions-for-pope-leo-after-pontiffs-ongoing-opposition-to-war/">interview</a> with the New York Post, Trump challenged the pope directly: “Why does the pope think it is fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon and to kill 42,000 unarmed protesters?” — though the pope has not publicly expressed support for Iran obtaining nuclear weapons or committing violence against protesters. Trump framed the conflict as a necessary step to prevent long-term catastrophe, adding, “You can’t allow them to have a nuclear weapon because they will use it and millions of people will be dead, including Italians and Catholics around the world.”
The comments are the latest flashpoint in a weeks-long back-and-forth that has steadily intensified as the Iran conflict has unfolded. Pope Leo has repeatedly condemned the operation, calling for restraint and urging an end to what he described as the “madness of war.” 
During a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/catholic-bishops-echo-pope-blast-trump-for-war-against-iran">Palm Sunday Mass</a>, the pope warned against leaders who pursue armed conflict with “arrogance,” adding that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” While he did not name Trump, the remarks were widely interpreted as a direct rebuke of the U.S.-led campaign.
Trump has rejected that framing, arguing that the administration’s actions are rooted in deterrence rather than escalation. He has publicly dismissed the pontiff’s position as naïve and “<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-accuses-pope-leo-being-terrible-foreign-policy-over-pontiffs-anti-war-comments">terrible for foreign policy</a>,” maintaining that allowing Iran to continue its nuclear program would invite far greater destruction. 
“This is one of the most important wars,” Trump said, reiterating his view that crippling Iran’s military and enrichment capabilities is essential to preventing a wider conflict.
The broader context of the spat reflects two fundamentally different frameworks for approaching the conflict: The Vatican has emphasized humanitarian concerns, the risk of escalation, and the moral cost of war, consistently calling for de-escalation and dialogue. Trump, by contrast, has framed the conflict in terms of necessity and prevention, arguing that failing to act decisively now would lead to far greater loss of life later.
Some actions by the Trump administration have also drawn attention for their religious framing.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a prayer at the Pentagon on March 25 invoking the name of Jesus Christ in support of Operation Epic Fury, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/26/hegseth-prayer-violence-pentagon">asking</a> that U.S. forces deliver “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.” 
Then earlier this month, Trump posted — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-slammed-for-outrageous-post-depicting-himself-as-jesus-christ">and later deleted</a> — an image to Truth Social that depicted him as Jesus Christ. The president later said he believed the image portrayed him as a doctor, but the episode has only added more layers of complexity to an already fraught relationship with the head of the Catholic Church.
The Vatican has not yet responded to Trump’s latest remarks, but, much to the chagrin of ​​Republican Catholics, there is little indication the temperature will drop anytime soon.

Donald Trump and Pope Leo

Trump Has Some Questions For Pope Leo

Catholics

Executive

Iran war

Religion

President Donald Trump pushed back on his own energy secretary&#8217;s gas price prediction on Monday as Americans continue to get pinched at the pump.
Trump said Energy Secretary Chris Wright is &#8220;totally wrong&#8221; after Wright told CNN on Sunday that average gas prices in the United States could stay above $3 into 2027.
&#8220;I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong,” Trump told The Hill.
The president added that gas prices would start dropping “as soon as this ends,” referring to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
During an interview on Sunday, Wright said he wasn&#8217;t sure when exactly gas prices would start coming back down, but predicted, &#8220;That might not happen until next year.&#8221;
“But prices have likely peaked and they will start going down,” Wright added. “Certainly, with a resolution of this conflict, you will see prices go down. Prices across the board on energy prices will go down.”
Gas prices appeared ready to drop late last week when oil prices tumbled to under $90 per barrel shortly after Trump and Iran announced a ceasefire that would allow ships to traverse the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement to open the strait, however, was short-lived as Iran said on Sunday that it was once again blocking ships in response to Trump keeping the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in place.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard attacked two oil tankers over the weekend, and shipping traffic through the strait came to a standstill once again, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/20/strait-hormuz-ship-tanker-oil-iran-war.html">reported</a>.
Brent crude jumped back up to over $95 per barrel on Monday morning, and average gas prices in the United States remain above $4 per gallon as of Monday afternoon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA</a>. Recent <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/poll-trumps-approval-rating-hits-second-term-low-economy-iran-war-rcna331462">polls</a> indicate that many Americans are <a href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3956">frustrated</a> with the sharp rise in gas prices that followed Trump&#8217;s decision to launch &#8220;Operation Epic Fury.&#8221;
Democrats have attacked the Trump administration over the rise in gas prices, with Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/19/world/middleeast/energy-secretary-gas-prices.html">saying</a> on Sunday, “Americans literally can’t afford the Trump presidency.” At $4.04 per gallon on average, gas prices are at their highest level since June of 2022, when President Joe Biden was in office.
Vice President JD Vance is expected to meet with Iranian officials in Pakistan this week for another round of negotiations as the ceasefire is set to expire at 8:00 p.m. EST Tuesday. Trump said on Monday that he feels &#8220;no pressure whatsoever&#8221; to secure a deal with Iran.
&#8220;Time is not my adversary, the only thing that matters is that we finally, after 47 years, straighten out the MESS that other Presidents let happen because they didn’t have the Courage or Foresight to do what had to be done with respect to Iran,&#8221; he said.

President Trump Holds Roundtable On The Ratepayer Protection Pledge At The White House

Trump Says His Energy Secretary’s Gas Price Prediction Is ‘Totally Wrong’

Chris Wright

Gas Prices

All hell seems like it&#8217;s about to break loose again in the Middle East.
Let’s review the timeline. The United States entered into a ceasefire with Iran. The idea was to open negotiations for two weeks and then move toward a solution on nuclear weapons, with Iran giving up its nukes, ballistic missiles, and support for terrorist proxies.
It seemed as though there was some pretty significant movement. The president deployed JD Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, Pakistan. They came back and said there was no deal to be made.
Then it appeared as though there might be some movement after all, because the United States imposed a blockade on Iran&#8217;s blockade. Iran had basically put a blockade on goods in the Strait of Hormuz, harassing shipping and preventing oil from exiting the Persian Gulf.
But in the aftermath of the failed first round of talks, America blockaded Iranian ships entering and exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
That put the Iranian government in significant economic trouble, which led to backchannel negotiations. On Friday, both the United States government and the Iranian government announced that the Strait of Hormuz was open.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
President Trump said that a deal was very close, that Iran would ship its nuclear dust out, making a deal with the United States to permanently end their nuclear program, that they would stop supporting foreign terrorist organizations, etc.
This led to what appears to be a pretty open split between some of the negotiators and the people actually in charge, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is essentially the Praetorian guard for the mullahs. There have been a lot of rumors about the split. In fact, one of the reasons why the negotiations in Islamabad led by Vance didn&#8217;t succeed, according to Vance and members of the American side of the negotiations, was that the Foreign Ministry was making promises they couldn&#8217;t keep. They would go back, and the IRGC would then pretend that none of that ever happened.
Iran tried to tie its own ceasefire with the United States to Israel stopping its attacks on Hezbollah in retaliation for Hezbollah firing thousands of rockets into northern Israel. They tried to claim the reason that they had opened the Strait of Hormuz was because Israel had stopped its action in Lebanon, as opposed to the real reason, which is because the United States was blockading all of the oil going in and out of Iran.
On Saturday, things got heated again because the Iranian navy informed ships that Hormuz was shut.
President Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116433000897070863">noted</a>:
<blockquote>Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them. The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop.
The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!</blockquote>
What is likely to happen next is that Iran will remain intransigent. The president is likely to authorize further military action to both significantly hamper or destroy Iran&#8217;s economic capacity, and to either bomb every possible nuclear facility into complete rubble, unleash special operations in line with the Israelis, and go get the nuclear material, or both.
That is the most likely next step, and it will probably happen sooner rather than later if the Iranians do not get on the clock and start negotiating rapidly.

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