Iran's 'trump card' in Pakistan peace talks – the Strait of Hormuz

Iranenters high-stakes peace talks in Pakistan this weekend holding more leverage than it has managed to wield at any time during its six-week war: It has taken control over theStrait of Hormuz.

The narrow, 100-mile-long waterway is the primary channel through which 20% of world’s oil and natural gas supply must pass. By deciding which ships can travel through the passageway – and which can’t – Iran has the power to disrupt global energy markets and inflict pain on its adversaries across the world.

The U.S. demands that Iran reopen the waterway are one of the focal points of the peace talks that opened Saturday, Apr. 11. Negotiators for the two countries are trying to turn a fragile, two-week ceasefire into a lasting peace plan.

Here’s a closer look at how theU.S.-Israel warwith Iran has reshaped the world – and, in some cases, how it hasn’t.

Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Smoke rises following an explosion after the U.S. and Israel reportedly launched an attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026, in this screen grab taken from video.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital.

Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> U.S. President Donald Trump pumps his fist after disembarking Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 27, 2026. Hours later, Trump made live comments about the military strikes he launched against Iran.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Buildings inin Tehran stand after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, February 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Latest photos capture US and Israeli strikes against Iran

Smoke rises following an explosion,after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.

No straight passage through the Strait of Hormuz

Before the war, oil tankers and cargo ships passed freely through theStrait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. But days after the start of the war, Iran effectively blocked the strait, restricting the number of ships that could travel through the channel and reportedly charging fees of up to $2 million per ship for those vessels that did.

Iran’s blockage of the passageway caused a major disruption in global energy markets, causing a spike in oil and gas prices.

Reopening the passageway was one of the key U.S. conditions for the two-week ceasefire announced on Apr. 7. But Iran has allowed only a trickle of ships to continue through the channel since the pause in fighting. As a condition for ending the war, Iran is demanding the right to collect tolls from ships that traverse the strait.

PresidentDonald Trumphas sent mixed signals on the tolls. He has called them illegal and a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran should stop charging them. But in an interview with ABC News, he suggested the tolls could possibly continue as part of a joint venture between Iran and the United States. Tolls could be a way to secure the passageway, he said.

Strait of Hormuz.You may pay more for gas after Iran closes oil route

Iran's closure of the strait has shifted the focus of the peace talks away from ending its nuclear program, which had been one of Trump's justifications for the war, to the need to get ships moving through the channel unimpeded once again.

Brent Crude oil, a global benchmark, was trading at about $72 per barrel on Feb. 28. Prices surged to almost $120 per barrel in late March before dropping to just under $100 per barrel on April 10 after the U.S and Iran reached a conditional two-week ceasefire agreement.

While the U.S. is far less reliant on foreign oil compared to other countries in Europe and elsewhere, the elevated global prices have impacted domestic gasoline prices. On April, the average cost in the U.S. for a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.15, according toAAA Gas Prices, which tracks retail gasoline prices. That's up from $3.45 a month ago and less than $3 at the start of the year, according to AAA Gas Prices.

A changed Iranian regime?

The war has severely weakened Iran's clerical, military and political leadership. Many of its top intelligence and security officials and its longtime supreme leader,Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been killed in the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign.

Trump has asserted that Iran's new rulers are more moderate. There's little evidence of that. AyatollahMojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, has not appeared publicly since taking over from his father, and many analysts believe the country may move toward stronger ideological rigidity and increased control by hardline military forces within the government.

Exclusive:Israel decided to kill Iran’s leader after Oct. 7 attack

Iranian military degraded, but still functioning

U.S. forces have inflicted serious damage onIran’s militaryduring six weeks of bombing. Iran’s Navy is gone, “lying at the bottom of the ocean,” Trump boasted. Iran’s ability to build and stockpile ballistic missiles and long-range drones has been set back for years, according to the White House. And Defense SecretaryPete Hegsethtold reporters that Iran’s military had been so degraded following more than 13,000 strikes by U.S. forces that it had essentially been wiped out and would be ineffective for years.

Defense analysts say there’s no question Iran’s military has been weakened by the U.S. attacks. Yet it has continued to operate, using medium- and short-range missiles to strike Israel and neighboring Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Iranian forces shot down two American military planes – an F-15E fighter jet and an A-10 Warthog – on April 3, prompting a massivesearch and rescue missionfor a weapon systems officer who had been in the F-15E. Airmen in both planes ejected from the aircraft and were quickly rescued. Trump said the F-15E had been shot down by a shoulder-mounted, heat-seeking missile.

'No friends but the mountains.'Kurds want Trump's help for Iran ground war

Accounting for Iran's nuclear materials

Prior to the start of the war, Iran possessed approximately 440kg of uranium enriched to 60%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nation's nuclear watchdog. That material is theoretically a short technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the IAEA. While Iran insists that its nuclear program is for civilian energy purposes only, few in the West believe that.

Highly-enriched uranium can be used for nuclear-armed bombs and missies. Most of Iran's enriched uranium is thought to be stored at a nuclear site deep underground near the city of Isfahan, one of three nuclear sites U.S. bombers targeted last year.

There has been speculation that Trump has considered sending U.S. troops or special forces to seize Iran's enriched uranium as part of his vow to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons.

Trita Parsi, an Iran expert who is the co-founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said there are conflicting reports about the current state of Iran's nuclear materials. "It appears the U.S. government believes it knows where it is and that the Iranians have not accessed it," he said.

Iranian security expert Ali Vaez of the Brussels-headquartered Crisis Group think tank said Iran's nuclear materials are unaccounted for and probably buried in deep tunnels. He said that, as it stands, the war has "set back Iran’s nuclear program, but hasn't fully blocked its pathway to nuclear weapons."

Iran's mega-MAGA impact

Whilepollsshow most Republicans support the war in Iran, Trump has gotten pushback from an unexpected place: his MAGA supporters.

Grassroots activists and high-profile media figures in MAGA world have publicly slammed the war, saying it runs counter to his “America First” campaign promise. They also have taken issue with everything from Trump’s use of profanity in his wartime social media posts, his apocalyptic threat to wipe out the Iranian civilization and the whopping cost of the conflict. (The price tag: $29 billion so far, according to the nonprofit Center for Strategic and International Studies.)

"He has gone insane," former Rep.Marjorie Taylor Greeneof Georgia, a Trump supporter turned critic, wrote in amessageon X.

Trump has fired back, calling his critics“losers”and accusing conservative media influencers such as Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Alex Jones of digging for cheap publicity.

But the MAGA rift could have serious consequences for Trump and Republicans heading into this fall’s midterm elections, when the GOP will try to hold onto its slim majorities in the House and the Senate.

Reluctant allies and NATO future

The war has appeared to deepen divisions between the U.S. and some of its traditional allies. France, Spain, Germany and Britain have in particular been reluctant to always heed calls by the Trump administration for air support and use of their military bases. Non-U.S. NATO members have also been resistant to help the U.S. militarily as Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump, in turn, has called American allies "cowards." He has characterized NATO as "a paper tiger" and re-upped his threats to leave the military alliance formed in the wake of World War II. He has also compared British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Neville Chamberlain, now widely known as the British leader who pursued a policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany.

U.S. allies have struggled to understand Trump's strategy, motivations and regular contradictory statements about the reasons for the war, even as they have agreed with him that's Iran regime is a menace for the wider Middle East region and that Tehran should not be permitted to advance its nuclear program.

"This war violates international law," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in late March, echoing comments from other European leaders. "There is little doubt that, in any case, the justification of an imminent attack on the U.S. does not hold water," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Iran’s Strait of Hormuz control raises stakes for Pakistan talks

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 11, 2026

Iran's 'trump card' in Pakistan peace talks – the Strait of Hormuz

Iranenters high-stakes peace talks in Pakistan this weekend holding more leverage than it has managed to wield at any time during its s...

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Tribal gas stations offer a reprieve from high prices during Iran war

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Junelle Lewis was on the hunt for a reprieve from Seattle-areagas pricesdriven high by theIran warwhen an app on her phone gave her the answer: the Tulalip Reservation north of the city, almost half an hour from her home.

She didn’t hesitate.

“I purposely drove here just for the gas,” Lewis said while filling up her Chevrolet Suburban at the Tulalip Market this week for $4.84 a gallon (3.8 liters) — about 75 cents less than prices near home. “Gas is ridiculous. But I have found, honestly, over the years, this gas station specifically is cheaper than a lot around here. Probably the cheapest.”

Lewis isn't the only driver who has discovered that some of cheapest fuel can be found on Native American reservations.

Especially in California, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Washington state — places with dozens of tribally owned stations, including some in busy travel corridors — tribes exempt from state fuel taxes can sell for much less than competing stations nearby.

Gas prices push the drive to find bargains

Apps such as Gas Buddy make finding the cheapest gas easier than ever.

Nationwide, gasoline prices have risen by well over $1 since the Iran war began Feb. 28, reaching an average of $4.15 a gallon, accordingto AAA.

Prices have been higher, topping $5 during the summer of 2022, but economists believe they will continueheading upand contribute to inflation in the weeks of ahead as geopolitical tension persists.

Deals are to be found, though, at many of the almost 500 tribally owned convenience stores with gas stations across the U.S.

Fifty-five are in California. At the Chukchansi Crossing Fuel Station & Travel Center between Fresno and Yosemite National Park, the $5.09 gas was 60 cents less than nearby stations.

New Mexico resident Jamie Cross usually finds savings on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, where gas was as low as $3.79 this week.

“I hope we don’t go any higher,” Cross said Thursday.

In eastern New York state, on Cattauragus Indian Territory between Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania, the cheapest gas was about $3.65 at more than half a dozen stations — 50 cents less than in towns nearby.

Tribal lands find a fuel tax escape

So how do tribes do it? Two words: Tax exemptions.

Generally tribes must pay the federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.3 cents per gallon for diesel, and pass that cost along to drivers. State fuel taxes are a different matter.

For well over a century, U.S. courts have found that states don't have authority to collect taxes from Native Americans on their land, said Dan Lewerenz, a University of North Dakota assistant law professor who specializes in Native American law.

“The Supreme Court consistently held to this view and it’s one of the most enduring principles in federal Indian law,” Lewerenz said.

Federally recognized Native American tribes are in 35 states with state gasoline taxes ranging from 9 cents per gallon in Alaska to 71 cents in California.

From there, things get complicated based on where the fuel is taxed — at fuel terminals, say, or when distributors buy or sell fuel — and depending on various agreements between states and tribes.

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Court rulings come into play. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that off-reservation distributors in Kansas may charge state tax on sales to tribes for on-reservation fuel sales. But in 2019, the Supreme Court held that an 1855 treaty between the U.S. and the Yakama Nation that ensured the free travel of tribal members on roads with their goods prohibited state fuel taxes on tribal lands in Washington state.

“This is a little bit different than the principle that Indians aren’t taxed within Indian Country because this particular treaty reserved certain off-reservation rights for the Indians as well,” Lewerenz said.

Gas is just one way stores make money

Convenience store gas sales are not as profitable as bringing people inside from the pumps.

Selling snacks adds profit. But tribal businesses are increasingly offering groceries in what otherwise would be “food deserts” far from grocery stores.

“Sometimes these gas stations and convenience stores are the nearest, best place to purchase affordable food or household supplies,” said Matthew Klas, with the Minneapolis-based consultant Klas Robinson Q.E.D.

Klas does market research and consults for tribal businesses and tracks the 245 tribes nationwide that, as of 2025, operated 496 convenience stores with gas stations.

Oklahoma, California, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York have the most. Some tribes, including the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma and Oneida Indian Nation in New York, have their own store chains.

Drive-through smoke shops, car washes and truck stop amenities also bring in revenue. Then there are the casinos: 205 tribally owned gas stations are located at or near casinos.

Some tribal casinos are resorts with gas stations. Some tribal gas stations are casinos of a sort called “gasinos,” which only have a small number of gambling machines.

Tribally owned businesses are a major revenue generator for Native American reservations. On the Seattle area’s Tulalip Reservation, rising gas sales were being reinvested in the community, helping to cover the cost of roads, police, health care, education, housing and other needs, Tulalip Tribes Federal Corporation CEO Tanya Burns said in a statement.

“Like any government, we provide critical services to our people,” Burns said.

It's not just about savings

“It’s terrible,” Todd Hall of Paden, Oklahoma, said of diesel prices as he spent about $90 to fill up his tow truck at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation gas station about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Oklahoma City.

But, he added: "They’re cheaper here than anywhere else.”

Hall paid $4.57 per gallon for diesel, and said the price is over $5 at many locations in the area.

Mark Foster said he saves about $5 a week buying fuel at the tribally owned gas station. But he’s a faithful customer because the tribe is a good community partner, he said.

“I like the way the tribe operates,” he said. “And the price is good too.”

At the Tulalip Market north of Seattle, Jared Blankenship was griping not about prices but that he was having to pay for gas at all.

“Yeah, well, my electric car just got totaled,” Blankenship said. “So this sucks. This is new. It’s either Costco or looking wherever’s cheap, like the rez. So here we are.”

Lindsey Wasson in Seattle; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Savannah Peters in Edgewood, New Mexico, contributed.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 11, 2026

Tribal gas stations offer a reprieve from high prices during Iran war

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Junelle Lewis was on the hunt for a reprieve from Seattle-areagas pricesdriven high by theIran warwhen an ap...

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Taylor Swift’s Wedding Details Leaked, Including Date And Location: “Doesn’t Make Sense”

Taylor SwiftandTravis Kelcehave reportedly finalized theirwedding dateandvenue, with behind-the-scenesdetails emergingfrom one of the most anticipated and talked-about celebrity weddings of the year.

But what should have been a celebratory moment for Swifties has instead turned into afull-blown internet frenzy, as social media lit up withwild theories.

Given certain details that don’t quite add up, fans appear divided, with many not holding back their skepticism.

One user wrote, “It makes more sense for this to be a red herring. It could be a sleight of hand type thing – look over here so you don’t see what is going on over there!”

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have reportedly finalized their wedding details, as exclusive information has recently emerged

Image credits:Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

After months of wedding rumors and their August engagement, it appears the pop star and her NFL fiancé are all set to tie the knot later this year.

Initially, speculation was rampant about a June 13 wedding at Ocean House, where Taylor Swift also owns a massive property.

However, the rumor was debunked by the venue’s event organizers and celebrity wedding planners, who toldPage Sixthat “the pair was thinking about going all out at a totally different venue that can accommodate more attendees.”

Image credits:Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

Now, it seems Swift and Travis Kelce may have found their dream venue, asDaily Mailexclusively revealed new details of their nuptials earlier today.

According to the outlet, the couple has set their wedding for Friday, July 3, in New York City, aligning with the Fourth of July weekend, one of Swift’s favorite holidays.

Insiders reportedly told the publication that the ceremony will take place in a grand indoor venue, such as a museum or arena-like space, to accommodate a large guest list while maintaining privacy.

Image credits:killatrav

“Save the Date” notices have already been sent out, and toprotect their privacy, guests are reportedly required to sign strict non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) before receiving final venue details.

While the exact venue and guest list remain undisclosed, notable names expected to attend include Swift’s longtime friend Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, and Kelce’s teammates, including Patrick Mahomes.

A source claimed that the 36-year-old singer was “disappointed” that the details were leaked but has no plans to pursue legal action.

The details of the ceremony have reportedly “disappointed” Taylor, who is said to value privacy during such an important moment in her life

Image credits:Timo Wagner/Unsplash

To some fans, the reported date and New York City location seemed highly believable, as it aligns with Kelce’s off-season schedule before training camp begins in mid-July, as well as the couple’s well-known love for the city.

Swift notably served as New York City’s Global Welcome Ambassador from 2014 to 2015 and even released her hit songWelcome to New Yorkas an ode to the city.

However, many skeptical netizens believe the New York City ceremonycould be a decoy, pointing to the sheer scale of major global events scheduled in the city that same week.

Image credits:Kansas City Star/Getty Images

One user argued, “This is either…. a fake-out to hide the real wedding date and location for ‘privacy’ or the real date and location…. Personally, I think it’s the first option. Having the wedding in the de*d middle of summer (in NYC of all places) would bea miserable experiencefor everyone attending, and would give TS no privacy… It just doesn’t make sense to have it there honestly.”

Another commented, “Those of us who live near the area are already planning our escape. They have announced that trains will be for World Cup ticket holders only on game days so you can imagine the insane traffic in and around NYC. She can’t be this clueless about what’s happening that weekend.”

“And last week it was June in Italy. Week before that it was in Rhode Island. Next week it will be in Antarctica,” joked a third.

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Others questioned the location choice entirely, with one writing, “Why even get married in the US, honestly? All ofher circle are rich, or she can afford to foot the bill for them to travel to a beautiful wedding in Europe somewhere. Idk, I guess being rich means all of those beautiful destinations aren’t as exciting when you’ve already been there…”

“Lol nobody knew she was dating him until 4 months after the fact and their engagement was announced two weeks after he proposed. Do you really think they’re going to give this info out? They’re probably already married lol.”

One user questioned, “Anyone else feel like each person will get a different location, then transported to the actual wedding location that’s hidden?”

Image credits:killatrav

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During the alleged wedding date of Taylor and Travis, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be in full swing, with New York/New Jersey serving as a host region and a match scheduled at MetLife Stadium on July 6.

Beyond Independence Day festivities and the World Cup, NYC will also host several major events, including the U.S. 250th-anniversary air show, the All-Indian Dance Festival, and major league games such as the New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins and the New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx on July 3.

Image credits:killatrav

Some skeptics have also pointed out that the latest leak appears “like nothing more than smoke and mirrors… to cover up what happened on the podcast, and probably to cover up… all the other drama going around (her being sued, etc.) No surprise that they’re using their ‘relationship’ toclean up their own mess.”

The same user doubled down, writing, “I still don’t see this wedding happening.”

The controversy referenced by the user stems from Travis’New Heightspodcast, co-hosted with his brother and former NFL star Jason Kelce.

Image credits:newheightshow

In the Wednesday, April 8 episode, guest and golf legend John Daly made a controversial joke that upset some listeners.

He joked about a gym membership that included “ashtrays, cup holder, drink holder, p*rn on TV, and t*pless waitress,” which prompted laughter from both hosts.

While Travis did not respond verbally, Jason added, “I love that… I’ll get a membership to that.”

The latest details have emerged amid ongoing controversy surrounding Swift and Kelce, with backlash over a recent podcast moment

Image credits:newheightshow

Viewers described theinteractionas “disgusting” and “grossly inappropriate.” One Reddit user wrote, “I’m not sure who I’m disgusted more by here, Travis about to be a married man or Jason, an already married man with FOUR daughters.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, with one commenting, “Everything I’ve learned about [Travis] disgusts me and, real relationship or not, the fact that Taylor has expressed an obnoxiously loud and very public desire to marry this man… really says a lot about her standards and character.”

“I know travwives will be like ‘they’re so comfortable in their relationships, it’s just a joke, Taylor… SO secure!!!!’ but I’m sorry, the fact they continue to ignore what a PIG Travis is cracks me up… how nasty & disrespectful he is.”

Meanwhile, the Grammy winner is also facing legal challenges of her own, as she has recently been named in a federal lawsuit in California related to her 2025 album,The Life of a Showgirl.

Las Vegas performer and writer Maren Wade filed the suit on March 30, alleging trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition.

Reportedly, Wade has owned the trademark for “Confessions of a Showgirl” since 2015, using it for a column, podcast, and live touring show, and argues that Swift’s album title and aesthetic are “confusingly similar” and dilute her established brand.

As speculation and controversy surrounding their wedding continue to intensify, neither Swift nor Kelce has publicly confirmed the allegedly leaked details.

Daily Mailreported that it reached out to representatives for both celebrities but has yet to receive a response.

One comment read, “Idk who needs to hear this but she doesn’t want you to go to her wedding! Give them some privacy…”

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byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 10, 2026

Taylor Swift’s Wedding Details Leaked, Including Date And Location: “Doesn’t Make Sense”

Taylor SwiftandTravis Kelcehave reportedly finalized theirwedding dateandvenue, with behind-the-scenesdetails emergingfrom one of the m...

Read More