Read our editorials on the US-Israeli war on Iran here and here.
The Iranian government dismissed US imperialism’s attempt to pressure it into surrender during talks in Pakistan on April 11.
The US originally agreed to negotiate on Iran’s terms and submit to a two-week ceasefire that went into effect on April 7 after facing a humiliating defeat from Iran and its regional allies.
However, leading up to and during negotiations, the Trump administration reneged on its agreement and pressed the demands it had put forward before starting the war, essentially demanding the disarmament and surrender of Iran.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in response, “If negotiations are based on one side imposing conditions on the other, that is not negotiation; that is dictation and imposition. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iranian nation will never accept such imposition.”
The talks quickly fell through. Unable to defeat Iran militarily or diplomatically, the Trump administration announced a US naval blockade on Iran in an effort to strangle its economy.
The blockade, which went into effect April 13, crumbled immediately. Reuters reports that Iranian and Chinese oil tankers continued to pass through at roughly the same pace as before. Meanwhile, Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which went into effect at the start of its defensive war, remains in place and continues to impose a steep cost on the imperialists.
The imperialists pass these costs incurred from its military misadventures and defeats onto working people. In the US alone, Americans have already paid over $20 billion in extra gasoline and diesel costs since the start of the US invasion of Iran on February 28, according to an investigation by Brown University. The total cost of the war for the US could be around $1 trillion, according to a Harvard public policy expert.
Meanwhile, about 10,000 more US troops are on their way to the Middle East, adding to the roughly 50,000 already there according to The Washington Post.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported earlier this week that 399 US soldiers have been injured in the war with Iran, in addition to the 13 annihilated by Iran and its allies. The Iranian government says the figure is much higher, and that the US is covering up its casualties.
Over the course of the ceasefire, Iran has been rebuilding its infrastructure and importing more weapons in preparation for continued US-Israeli aggression.
Negotiations continue between the US and Iran, with the possibility for a second round of talks taking place in Pakistan. The ceasefire is set to expire on April 22.
Image: Iranians commemorate the 40th day of martyrdom of Khamenei. April 12, 2026. Credit: Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei Telegram channel.
The Worker is an entirely volunteer-run revolutionary newspaper free from and radically antagonistic to corporate influence. We rely on the support of our readers to sustain our editorial line in service of the working class and the reconstitution of its party, the Communist Party. Make a one-time or recurring donation to our newspaper today:
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
