OAN Staff Addie Davis and Brooke Mallory
11:11 AM – Tuesday, April 28, 2026
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Iranian officials informed him that the Middle Eastern country is in a “State of Collapse,” and wants the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened as soon as possible.
“Iran has just informed us that they are in a “State of Collapse.” They want us to “Open the Hormuz Strait,” as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!),” the president stated.
This diplomatic pivot follows a period of frustration as peace negotiations seemingly descended into a definitive stalemate. The shift was punctuated by President Trump’s decision to abruptly withdraw the United States delegation from its scheduled journey to Pakistan, where they were intended to participate in mediated discussions with Iranian officials.
In a Monday interview with Fox News, provided by the U.S. State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that establishing an agreement with Iran is hindered both due to radicalism and internal division.
“Well, other than the fact that the country’s run by radical Shia clerics — that’s a pretty big impediment,” Rubio said. “The other is that they’re deeply fractured internally…I think that’s always been the case but I think it’s far more pronounced now,” Rubio stated.
Meanwhile, according to surfacing reports, Iran’s “crumbling” isn’t just political, but a total systemic shock resulting from the ongoing conflict.
- Economic & labor collapse: As of late April, the war has reportedly eliminated over 130,000 direct jobs and 600,000 indirect ones. The Iranian labor establishment itself has warned of a total market breakdown.
- Infrastructure damage: Significant military and energy infrastructure has been destroyed following U.S. and Israeli strikes that began in late February. This has severely hampered Iran’s ability to produce energy and maintain domestic logistics.
- The Digital blackout: Iran has been under a regime-imposed internet blackout for nearly 60 days, since February 28th. This has not only silenced dissent but acted as an “economic weapon,” paralyzing online commerce and payments that many Iranian households rely on for survival.
- The Strait of Hormuz blockade: The ongoing “tug of wills” in the Strait of Hormuz has essentially cut off Iran’s primary economic artery, leading to extreme inflation and shortages of basic goods.
The Diplomatic Deadlock
The “stalemate” is also being driven by two incompatible sets of demands.
The U.S. “15-Point Plan,” which demands “zero enrichment,” the recovery of all past nuclear material, and an end to proxy funding, as well as Iran’s “10-Point Plan,” which demands an immediate lifting of the U.S. blockade and “reconstruction compensation” before they will commit to a permanent nuclear freeze.
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