US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran was "defeated militarily" and urged it to quickly conclude an agreement to end the war, hinting at a long blockade of its ports and calling for a suspension of uranium enrichment for twenty years, while Washington continues to close the Strait of Hormuz and tighten the naval blockade, which led to a rise in oil prices, a collapse of the Iranian rial, and increasing popular frustration, at a time when Trump faces internal pressure due to the cost of the war and the approaching midterm elections.

Published on: 04/30/2026 - 04:26Last updated: 04/30/2026 - 05:00

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US President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to “accelerate” in concluding an agreement that ends the war once and for all, while diplomatic mediations stand still, and with the US blockade of Iranian ports continuing and its economic cost to Tehran increasing.

According to an estimate by a senior official in the US Department of Defense, the cost of the war on Iran since February 28 has reached about $25 billion, at a time when the White House is discussing the horizon of the naval blockade and its repercussions.

A White House official said that Trump discussed with officials in the oil sector the possibility of continuing the blockade on Iranian ports for “months,” while American reports indicated that he is inclined to reject the Iranian proposal that links the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to lifting the blockade.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump asked his administration to prepare for a long blockade of Iran's ports with the aim of pushing it to abandon its nuclear program, against the backdrop of his conviction that Tehran "does not negotiate in good faith," with his aspiration to suspend uranium enrichment for twenty years and then impose strict restrictions after that.

As the talks that began in early April, mediated by Pakistan, faltered, Trump wrote on his “Truth Social” platform that “Iran is incapable of arranging its affairs... They had better come to their senses soon.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a call with Trump, considered extending the ceasefire with Iran a “right” decision, but he “also stressed the inevitable and extremely dangerous consequences, not only for Iran and its neighbors, but for the entire international community, if the United States and Israel decide to return to war again,” according to the Kremlin.

Iran practically closed the Strait of Hormuz, the vital artery for oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, making freedom of navigation in the region a major focus of controversy, and the price of Brent crude rose to more than $119 per barrel, the highest level since early 2022.

In light of the siege and the ambiguity of the conflict horizon, the Iranian rial fell to its lowest historical levels against the dollar. Iranians in Tehran spoke to Agence France-Presse journalists in Paris about a widespread feeling of frustration, with the accumulating effects of the economic crisis and sanctions. A 52-year-old architect, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The more negotiations took place in recent years, the worse the people’s situation became. The sanctions were either imposed or became more severe.”

Read also: Deadlock in negotiations to end the war between Washington and new Iranian proposals to open the Strait of Hormuz

"No trust"

On Tuesday, Trump said during a dinner in honor of British King Charles III that Iran had been “defeated militarily,” stressing that he would not allow it to “possess a nuclear weapon.”

In Tehran, Iranian military spokesman Amir Akrami Nia announced, “We do not consider the war to be over,” stressing that Tehran “does not trust America.” He added, "We have many cards that we have not used yet... new tools and fighting methods based on the experiences of the two previous wars, which will certainly allow us to respond to the enemy decisively" if fighting resumes.

According to Fars Agency, the Iranian proposal that Islamabad conveyed to the Americans included red lines related to the nuclear file and the Strait of Hormuz, with an offer to ease Iranian control over the Strait in exchange for lifting the blockade on the ports, and postponing the most controversial issues, especially the nuclear issue, to a later stage.

The Speaker of the Iranian Shura Council, Muhammad Baqer Qalibaf, considered that the American naval blockade aims to “push us to collapse from within.” State television quoted him as saying that Trump "divides the country into two camps: extremists and moderates, and then speaks clearly about the naval blockade to force Iran to surrender through economic pressure and provoke internal division."

Ceasefire before negotiation

On the American side, internal pressure on the president is increasing with the rise in oil and commodity prices and the approaching midterm elections in November, while opinion polls show Americans' continued lack of support for the war.

On the Lebanese front, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir vowed during a visit to areas occupied by his forces in southern Lebanon to target Hezbollah positions north of the Litani River, saying that “any threat, anywhere, against our communities or our forces, including beyond the Yellow Line and north of the Litani, will be eliminated.”

On the other hand, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stressed that Israel must implement the ceasefire with Hezbollah “fully” before direct negotiations begin, stressing that “the only path to security is through negotiations,” but after fully respecting the truce.

Lebanon is awaiting a date from the United States for the launch of direct negotiations with Israel, after two ambassadorial-level meetings in Washington under American sponsorship, while field violations and mutual military operations in the south continue.

France 24/AFP

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