The war between the U.S. and Iran may last a lot longer than originally planned.
The Iranian regime may not end it until President Donald Trump is out of office — 2028.
The crux of the war now is control over the Strait of Hormuz.
On one side, Trump has said the strait is open and under United States control. However, traffic has fallen to a three-month low, as oil stockpiles are diminishing.
Trump has now turned his attention to economic warfare — enforcing sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade in the hopes of forcing Iranians back to the table, with the goal of reopening the strait.
Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday the U.S. has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it,” he wrote.
Iran, via the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, said such claims and repeated posts by U.S. officials that the Strait of Hormuz is no longer blocked are false.
Iran countered by saying the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not reopen until its conditions are accepted.
A top adviser to the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Iran could keep the war going until Trump is out of office.
The White House said Iran’s economy has been severely damaged and is dealing with rising inflation, reduced energy revenues, more poverty and limited access to foreign currencies.
According to NewsNation partner The Hill, a Pentagon assessment found the first U.S. blockade, between April and June, cost Iran about $4.8 billion in oil revenue.