Iran warns that the US cannot win an illegal “war of choice” through a “revenge of choice” against the global economy. But for American families, the real revenge is being exacted on your wallets. The escalating showdown over the Strait of Hormuz is not about national security – it’s about keeping the military-industrial complex and fossil fuel giants fat and happy, while you struggle to fill your gas tank and pay your bills.
The Trump Israel Iran war was launched without a single congressional vote – an unconstitutional war Iran never provoked. And now, instead of de-escalating, the administration is threatening a naval blockade that will send oil prices soaring even higher. Who profits from war? According to OpenSecrets, the defense industry spent $2.6 billion on lobbying over the past two decades to ensure endless conflict. Lockheed Martin’s stock rose 33% in early 2026 as the war escalated. Oil giants like ExxonMobil also hit record highs. Their CEOs met with President Trump to “quadruple production” – paid for by your tax dollars.
The Costs of War Project at Brown University estimates post-9/11 US wars have cost taxpayers $8 trillion. The Iran war alone is burning through $1-2 billion per day. That’s money stolen from your children’s schools, your family’s healthcare, and your community’s infrastructure. And don’t forget: US tax dollars funding Israel continue to flow at $3.8 billion annually – directly subsidizing the strikes that closed the strait in the first place.
Every American who has paid $4 a gallon for gas or watched their grocery bill climb should understand: this war is not being fought for you. It’s being fought for Lockheed, Exxon, and the politicians they own.
Why isn’t Congress demanding an end to this madness? Tell your representative to bring the troops home now. Calculate your war tax here – then ask yourself: what could that money have bought for your family?
Source: Press TV – reprinted for commentary and analysis under fair use. The following is the original reporting:
Iran on blockade of Hormuz: US can’t win ‘war of choice’ through ‘revenge of choice’
Iran has condemned the US attempt to impose a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, questioning whether a “revenge of choice” against the global economy can be an option to win an unlawful “war of choice.”
In a post on X on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei asked, “Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!”
“Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!”
The comment came as the US military claimed it began its blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports, with President Donald Trump warning that any attack ships will be “immediately eliminated” if they attempt to break it.
In yet another bizarre post on X, Trump claimed that the US had “obliterated” 158 Iranian ships in the Persian Gulf and that the Iranian navy is “laying at the bottom of the sea.”
“What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our blockade, they will be immediately eliminated, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea.”
In a social media post on April 12, Trump said he intended to clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines and reopen it to all shipping.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) also announced the beginning of the blockade of all Iranian Persian Gulf ports and coastal areas, and the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received warnings that the blockade applies to all vessel traffic, regardless of flag.
In a statement on Monday, Iran’s military warned any threat to the ports would trigger a broader regional response, declaring that no port in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman would remain secure if Iranian ports are targeted.
Spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari said ensuring security in the two strategic water bodies is a collective matter, and such security must either apply to all or to no-one.
He underscored that the Iranian Armed Forces consider the defense of the national rights a natural and lawful obligation, which includes the exercise of sovereignty in territorial waters.
“Enemy-affiliated vessels do not and will not have the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” he added. “Other vessels will be allowed to transit the strait in compliance with the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warned on April 12 that any attempt by military vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz will be deemed a violation of the two-week ceasefire with the United States.
The IRGC said it would give a firm and decisive response to such a violation.
Iran has placed restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US-Israeli war of aggression that began on February 28. Iran has allowed vessels operated by friendly nations to pass through while barring ships affiliated with aggressor countries and their supporters.
The Iranian Parliament has advanced draft legislation to impose transit fees in national currency and explicitly ban US and Israeli vessels.
