Key Takeaways:
Bitcoin surged past $78,000 on April 22, 2026, after Trump extended the U.S.-Iran ceasefire indefinitely. The rally triggered $320 million in liquidations and boosted the total crypto market cap to $2.7 trillion. Traders are monitoring the IRGC and port blockades as Tehran decides whether to return to the peace table. Trump Maintains Port Blockade Amid Peace EffortsThe country’s ambassador to the United Nations is the latest official to reiterate Iran’s position that the blockade violates the ceasefire agreement.
The ‘TACO’ Moment and Iranian InfightingThe U.S. president’s latest “Trump always chickens out (TACO)” moment unfolded against the backdrop of a deepening schism within the Iranian leadership. Recent Western media dispatches have detailed a high-stakes power struggle between the Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and a hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, Major General Ahmad Vahidi.
While Ghalibaf is reportedly advocating for a diplomatic off-ramp to ease economic pressure, Vahidi appears intent on leveraging military friction to extract concessions. This internal friction was punctuated by reports of an aggressive maneuver against a commercial container ship by alleged IRGC fast-attack boats, a move that suggests the military wing may be bypassing civilian leadership to dictate the terms of the engagement.
