Trump’s Iran War Hits Day 61 as UAE Quits OPEC and Regional Tensions Explode

The Trump administration’s manufactured war with Iran grinds into its 61st day, with no end in sight and escalating regional chaos. The United Arab Emirates shocked the oil world by announcing its exit from OPEC after decades of membership, signaling deep fractures among Gulf allies amid the conflict. Gulf Cooperation Council leaders meeting in Saudi Arabia condemned Iran’s threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, demanding a return to “security and freedom of navigation” and pushing for tighter military coordination.

On the ground, Iran’s military boasts of striking “enemy bases” across the region and warns of harsher retaliation if provoked again. Yet Trump insists Iran is in a “state of collapse” and claims King Charles III backs his hardline stance against Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the US blockade is strangling Iran’s oil exports, threatening significant production cuts and deepening economic pain.

The war’s human toll mounts as Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed three emergency workers, condemned by Lebanon’s president as a “war crime.” Hezbollah’s drone and rocket attacks continue, underscoring the fragile ceasefire. Meanwhile, ultra-Orthodox protests in Israel escalate, reflecting domestic unrest amid the external conflict.

Trump’s approval rating has dipped to a new low of 34 percent, reflecting growing public dissatisfaction with the war’s cost and impact on daily life. Despite reports that Iran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if nuclear talks were delayed, the US refuses to postpone negotiations, leaving the region on edge.

This conflict, fueled by Trump’s reckless escalation and economic warfare, risks entrenching a frozen war that destabilizes the Middle East and deepens global economic uncertainty. The UAE’s OPEC exit and Gulf states’ militarization highlight fractures and fears within the alliance supposedly united against Iran. As the war grinds on, the American public and regional populations bear the consequences of an administration prioritizing power consolidation over peace.