All articles tagged with #iran war
A POLITICO analysis finds that Trump’s focus on affordability surged early in 2026 but, after the Iran war began, shifted toward war and military action, with affordability talk dropping and war topics rising—amid high gas prices and a political climate that Democrats are leveraging to critique his economic messaging ahead of the midterms.
The IMF lowers its global growth outlook and flags the Iran conflict as a lasting drag on the world economy, planning between $20–$50 billion in emergency balance‑of‑payments support while cautioning there will be no neat return to pre‑war conditions; the crisis drives energy costs higher, disrupts supply chains and undermines market confidence, with about 45 million people facing food insecurity. The World Bank also signals slower regional growth and says up to $25 billion can be mobilized quickly for affected developing countries, with as much as $60 billion available over the longer term.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Leo XIV held their first Vatican meeting, focusing on the Middle East crisis, multilateralism, climate change and humanitarian emergencies, and criticizing Donald Trump’s Iran policy; Macron and his wife Brigitte spent about two hours with the pope, exchanged gifts (a France basketball jersey and a Notre Dame reconstruction book), and Macron later spoke with Secretary of State Parolin, with no bilateral meeting planned with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
As the US and Iran enter talks, the war’s global fallout intensifies: Tehran’s threats to control the Strait of Hormuz threaten a large share of energy shipments, sending oil and gasoline prices higher and stoking inflation, while NATO tensions and Gulf Arab diplomacy face new strains. Lebanon’s ceasefire prospects grow murky amid regional power dynamics, and Iran’s internal unrest could flare further even as diplomacy continues. The ripple effects touch energy markets, economies, and international security.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. will resume strikes on Iran at a higher level if peace talks in Pakistan collapse, claiming ships are being loaded with the best weapons yet. The White House has not immediately responded, while Vice President JD Vance leads talks with Iran’s side to try to seal a ceasefire before the deadline. The rhetoric comes alongside concerns about potential military action and related effects on energy markets.
A January Pentagon meeting with Vatican diplomat Cardinal Pierre, reportedly referencing Avignon as a veiled warning to the Vatican after Pope Leo XIV criticized U.S. policy, has sparked the so-called Avignon-gate. While the Trump administration and Vatican deny the most explosive claims and accounts vary, the controversy underscores deep fractures within MAGA’s religious-right and the U.S. Catholic Church over immigration, the Iran war, and the pope’s role in criticizing U.S. foreign policy.
President Trump rips into conservative critics of his Iran war stance in a lengthy Truth Social post, personally attacking Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and others while also lashing out at The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board; he defends his Iran handling, dismisses the critics, and underscores his base’s support amid ongoing war debates.
Protests over surging fuel costs enter a fourth day in Ireland, with refineries blockaded and pumps dry as demonstrators seek government action; the army is on standby to clear blockades, officials say talks are planned with industry groups that say they’re not involved, and a €250 million package previously announced is part of the broader response.
The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index fell to a record low of 47.6 in April 2026 as price spikes tied to the US–Iran conflict weigh on shoppers; inflation expectations rose (short-term 4.8%, long-term 3.4%), March CPI jumped 0.9% to 3.3%, and unemployment remains relatively low, suggesting sentiment could depress consumer spending if the labor market weakens.
A Guardian analysis argues that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is steering US policy toward Iran through a militant, Calvinist form of Christian nationalism connected to the CREC network and figures like Douglas Wilson and Brooks Potteiger. It portrays the war as divinely sanctioned and warns that this faith-driven framing—echoing Crusades-era rhetoric—risks escalating conflict, undermining church-state separation, and advancing a long-term project to reshape US governance and foreign policy in a Christian nationalist mold.
An opinion piece portrays Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, as a pacifist counterweight to President Trump’s militaristic foreign policy, urging peace and dialogue during Easter Mass amid reports of U.S. pressure on the Vatican and tensions over Catholic charities aiding migrants.
Iranians are deeply divided over a two‑week ceasefire announced in the US-Israel–Iran war: some oppose it, fearing it will strengthen the regime and deepen repression, while others support pausing further attacks to avoid total destruction. The debate is fueled by Trump’s threats and past messaging during Iran’s protests, and civilians have paid a heavy price—HRANA cites 1,701 Iranian civilian deaths (including 254 children) with broader regional casualties as the conflict persists.
President Zelenskyy claims Ukrainian forces shot down Shahed drones in several Middle Eastern countries during the Iran war, underscoring Kyiv’s ongoing drone-defense role amid regional tensions.
President Donald Trump blasted prominent conservative media figures who criticized his Iran policy, calling Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones 'losers' and 'nut jobs' in a Truth Social post, signaling a widening rift within his base as he campaigns on 'no new wars.'
President Trump blasted prominent conservative voices—Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones—in a Truth Social post, labeling them “nut jobs” and “third-rate” for opposing his Iran war as critics warn the conflict could destabilize the region and damage the world economy. Owens and Marjorie Taylor Greene floated invoking the 25th Amendment, while Carlson and Kelly have criticized the war, signaling a growing rift within MAGA as the administration pushes forward.