Trump rejects deal with Iran and war costs already total R$125 billion

Amid escalating tension in the Middle East, United States President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal to ease the conflict. The Iranian offer provided for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the end of the American naval blockade, but Washington first demands the end of Tehran’s nuclear program.

In an interview with the website Axios, Trump ruled out immediate concessions, stating that the blockade is more effective than bombings. “They want to resolve it. I don’t want to lift the blockade, because I don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump insisted on the pretext he uses to maintain the offensive.

The aggressive stance was reinforced in a post on the Truth Social network, on Wednesday (29). Donald Trump published an image generated by artificial intelligence in which the almost 80-year-old politician appears transfigured into a militarized version of himself, armed and in a war scene, with explosions in the background. The visual construction abandons the institutional decorum of the head of state and positions him as the protagonist of action, in a typical military propaganda framework. The phrase “No more being nice!” appears prominently, functioning as a synthesis of the break with diplomacy and affirmation of the use of force that he wants to be taken seriously.

In the message accompanying the publication, Trump stated that Iranian authorities “do not know how to sign a non-nuclear agreement” and that they should “act intelligently soon”, reinforcing the tone of ultimatum addressed to Tehran.

Trump’s refusal was immediate and had a huge impact on hopes of de-escalation. Iranian security sources, cited by Press TV (Iran’s official broadcaster), responded that “continued American maritime piracy and banditry in the form of the so-called ‘naval blockade’ will soon be responded to with practical and unprecedented action.”

The President of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reinforced: Tehran’s patience “has a limit” and a “punitive response is necessary” if Washington insists on the illegal measure.

Disagreements that fuel the impasse

At the heart of the conflict is a deep strategic divergence. Iran proposed a phased agreement: first, lift the naval blockade and reopen Hormuz to alleviate economic suffocation; then discuss the nuclear program. Washington, on the contrary, demands the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program before of any relief from the lockdown. Trump has made it clear that maritime strangulation is the main lever to force Tehran to concede. The result is a stalemate that keeps the conflict in a stage of controlled — but highly unstable — escalation.

Economic and electoral impact

The cost of Washington’s militaristic stance is already reflected in public coffers. The Pentagon estimates that the war against Iran has already consumed US$25 billion — approximately R$125 billion at current prices. The astronomical spending takes place six months before the midterm elections, in which Republicans are facing difficulties in maintaining their majority in the Chamber. Democrats gain ground in the polls by linking the unpopularity of the war and the cost of living to the Trump administration.

Despite the siege in Hormuz, tracking data shows that some Iranian oil tankers have managed to bypass the blockade in recent days. Analysts also dispute Washington’s rhetoric, which attempts to classify Iranian oil pipelines as ‘security threats’. For experts, this is a maneuver to justify the destruction of Iran’s civilian economy, using financial suffocation as a weapon of war and political blackmail to force Tehran’s surrender.

Read more: Trump achieves biggest rejection under pressure from war and the streets

Israeli aggression and the occupation map

While the impasse persists, military actions by Israel, the US’s main ally, worsen the humanitarian crisis. The Israeli government is trying to expand the territory by consolidating a “restricted zone” in southern Lebanon, claiming it is an area for humanitarian aid. However, the facts contradict the official version.

Israel does not respect the ceasefire and, in March, caused the death of at least three employees of international organizations providing humanitarian services: two from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and one from the World Health Organization (WHO). The Israeli army justified the attacks by claiming “near threats”, an argument frequently used to target civilian infrastructure.

Last Sunday (26), violence affected Brazilian citizens. A bombing in Burj Qalowayh, in southern Lebanon, killed Brazilian Manal Jaafar, 47, her son Ali Ghassan Nader, 11, and Lebanese father, Ghassan Nader. Itamaraty condemned the attack.

Israel released a map of its “new deployment line” in southern Lebanon, which advances into sovereign territory. The design is similar to the strategy applied in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli military control already covers 11% of the territory through restricted zones and demolitions.

As Trump maintains the blockade and uses digital fantasies to inflame war rhetoric, the risk of a regional miscalculation grows. The scenario is one of economic suffocation that punishes civilian populations and Israeli territorial expansion that disregards ceasefire agreements, which constitutes a war crime.