US President Donald Trump has hinted that the United States could “take the oil in Iran” and potentially seize Kharg Island, Tehran’s primary oil export terminal, as the conflict in the Middle East entered its fifth week.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Trump said his “preference would be to take the oil,” drawing comparisons with US actions in Venezuela earlier this year, where Washington gained control of the country’s oil sector following the capture of leader Nicolas Maduro.
"To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran, but some stupid people back in the US say, 'Why are you doing that?' But they're stupid people,” Trump told the FT.
He suggested that such a move could involve capturing Kharg Island, a critical hub through which most of Iran’s oil exports pass, making it strategically significant in the ongoing conflict.
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have a lot of options...It would also mean we had to be there [in Kharg Island] for a while,” he added.
On being asked about Iran's defence capabilities on the Kharg Island, the US President said: "I don't think they have any defence. We could take it very easily".
Trump Claims Mojtaba In 'Serious Trouble'
Trump claimed that Iran’s supreme leader’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, may be alive but is “seriously wounded,” amid ongoing conflict and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
When asked about Khamenei’s condition and whether he was part of ongoing discussions, Trump said, “We think he may be. Nobody's heard about him and he's... he may be alive, but he's obviously very seriously in trouble. Really, he's seriously wounded.”
Speaking about a proposed 15-point peace plan, Trump indicated that Iran had responded positively to most of the terms.
“Yeah, they came back on the 15-point plan. They gave us most of the points. Why wouldn't they?” he said.
Trump further claimed that Tehran had agreed to a majority of the conditions outlined by Washington and suggested that additional demands could follow.
“Well, they're agreeing with us on the plan. I mean, we asked for 15 things, and for the most part, we're going to be asking for a couple of other things,” he said.
Iran Pushes Back On US Intentions
Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States and Israel of planning a “ground invasion” under the cover of diplomacy.
According to Iranian state media, Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would not yield to pressure, signalling continued tensions despite claims of progress in talks.