Donald Trump's latest demand in the war against Iran lasted just 24 hours, suggesting that the US president is looking for unorthodox solutions to get out of a difficult situation.

On Monday morning, in a social media post announcing the resumption of the US naval blockade of Iranian shipping, the president said that all ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, including those of US allies, must pay a 20% fee to reimburse Washington for “any and all costs necessary to carry out the work of providing security to this very volatile area of ​​the world.”

The next day, he abandoned that proposal entirely and instead offered to strike “trade and investment agreements” with US Gulf allies, implying that the US would offer them safe passage through the strait in return.

This radical turn was the latest episode in a conflict that has already lasted more than four months and that, despite a “memorandum of understanding” signed a month ago that guaranteed a temporary ceasefire and established a framework for negotiations, shows no signs of ending.

Trump may be reluctant to escalate the war due to his continued unpopularity, the likelihood of a rise in energy prices, and the risks associated with U.S. forces and their allies being attacked again by Iran.

However, he might also find the prospect of ending the conflict without reaching a deal with Iran that he can claim to be better than the one Barack Obama's administration negotiated in 2015 unpalatable.

“I think most likely there will be no end,” said Rosemary Kelanid, director of the Middle East program at the Washington-based think tank Defense Priorities.

“This has become a war of attrition, and wars of attrition tend to go on for a long, long time,” he added.

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