Continued Economic War in Shadow of Indefinite Ceasefire

Despite the ceasefire extension announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, he wrote in a new post on his social media platform, Truth Social, that “people” had recently told him Iran wants the U.S. to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He added, “But if we do that, a deal with Iran will never be reached.”

Donald Trump wrote in this message that, in his view, Iran does not want the Strait of Hormuz closed and, due to economic interests, wants this vital route to remain open. He stated that Iran earns approximately $500 million per day from the Strait remaining open, and if it were to close, it would lose that revenue.

Trump added that Tehran only speaks of the possibility of closing the Strait due to U.S. pressure and to “save face,” noting that individuals recently told him Iran wants the immediate reopening of this passage. The U.S. President also warned that if a deal is not reached, more severe options, including attacks on other parts of Iran, will be on the table.

Simultaneously, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which is leading the war against Iran, announced in a social media message that “its forces remain ready.” In a video clip accompanying this message, which features U.S. fighter jets, ships, and soldiers, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, appears at an updated press briefing alongside U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

In this meeting, Cooper says, “We are re-equipping. We are renewing our military tools and adjusting our tactics, techniques, and procedures.” He stated: “There is no army in the world that adapts itself to conditions as we do, and this is exactly what we are doing now during the ceasefire.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the country’s navy will continue the blockade of Iranian ports, noting that this action directly targets the Islamic Republic’s main sources of revenue. In a message on X (formerly Twitter), he said that with the continuation of this blockade, “within a few days, the tanks on Kharg Island will be full, and Iran’s vulnerable oil wells will be taken out of production.”

The majority of Iran’s oil well output is transported to the Kharg Island terminal for export; according to Scott Bessent, reaching full capacity at this terminal could lead to a forced halt in production at Iranian oil fields. The U.S. Treasury Secretary added that, within the framework of what he called “Economic Fury,” the United States will systematically limit Tehran’s ability to earn, transfer, and repatriate financial resources. Bessent also warned that any individual or ship involved in “covert” financial transfers or bypassing trade sanctions related to Iran will be subject to U.S. sanctions.

In another post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that due to the lack of financial resources in Iran, “military and law enforcement forces are complaining about why their salaries are not being paid.” He did not specify his sources for this claim, but wrote that the situation in Iran is “critical.”