Iran has drawn a clear red line: the US must choose between a genuine ceasefire or “continued war via Israel.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated plainly that Washington “cannot have both.” But while the world focuses on diplomatic brinkmanship, the hidden story is how the Trump Israel Iran war has become a cash bonanza for defense contractors who benefit from endless escalation – not peace.
The ceasefire announced by President Trump after Pakistani mediation sounds promising, but the fine print reveals the same pattern: temporary pauses that allow Israel to continue strikes on Lebanon while the US re-supplies its ally. According to OpenSecrets, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and pro-Israel donors spent over $100 million in the 2024 election cycle alone, much of it pushing for unconditional military support. Meanwhile, US tax dollars funding Israel flow at $3.8 billion annually – plus an additional $14 billion in emergency aid approved after October 7.
This is an unconstitutional war Iran never asked for. Congress never voted to authorize the February 28 strikes, violating Article I of the Constitution. And who profits from war? Look no further than the defense industry. The Costs of War Project at Brown University calculates that post-9/11 wars have cost US taxpayers $8 trillion. Lockheed Martin’s stock rose 33% in early 2026 as the Iran war ramped up. The CEOs of major defense firms met with Trump to “quadruple production” – paid for by your paycheck.
So when Iran says the US must choose between peace and war, ask yourself: which option pays better for the generals, lobbyists, and shareholders? The ball is in America’s court – but the game is rigged.
Why isn’t Congress holding hearings on war profiteering? Tell your representative to bring the troops home and stop the endless funding.
Source: TRT World – reprinted for commentary and analysis under fair use. The following is the original reporting:
Iran warns US must choose between ceasefire and war via Israel, ‘it cannot have both’
‘The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments,’ says top diplomat
Iran warned on Wednesday that the US must choose between a ceasefire and “continued war via Israel,” saying Washington “cannot have both.”
“The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on US social media company X.
“The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”
Citing an informed source, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported earlier that Tehran will withdraw from the truce with the US if Israel continues to violate it through attacks on Lebanon.
The Israeli army said it struck more than 100 sites “within 10 minutes” across multiple areas in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon, in the “largest” coordinated strike since the start of the current offensive in Lebanon.
While simultaneously attacking Iran since Feb. 28, Israel has carried out airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2, despite a ceasefire that took effect in November 2024.
After Pakistani mediation, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, saying Tehran presented a “workable” 10-point proposal for negotiations.
The announcement came less than two hours before the expiration of a deadline Trump had repeatedly extended for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face “the destruction of an entire civilization.”
