Trump Says He Want to "Take the Oil in Iran"
In a candid interview with the Financial Times, Trump left little ambiguity about his ambitions. "To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran," he said, drawing a direct parallel to Washington's posture toward Venezuela, where the U.S. intends to maintain control over the oil sector "indefinitely" following the forced removal of President Nicolás Maduro in January.
Kharg Island serves as the transit point for more than 90 percent of Iran's oil shipments. The Financial Times cautioned that any military action targeting the island would risk significant casualties and could extend ongoing hostilities in the region. Trump, however, appeared undeterred. "Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have a lot of options," he said. "It would also mean we had to be there for a while."
Dismissing concerns about Iranian defensive capabilities on the island, Trump expressed confidence in a swift operation. "We could take it very easily," he said.
The remarks arrive as the Pentagon dramatically scales up its regional presence. U.S. Central Command confirmed Saturday that more than 3,500 personnel — among them 2,500 Marines — had already arrived in the Middle East, with reports indicating up to 10,000 additional ground troops are being deployed. Separately, U.S. officials say Trump is also weighing a military mission to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iranian territory.
The Wall Street Journal, citing an anonymous source with direct knowledge of Trump's thinking, reported that the president has pushed advisers to condition any ceasefire agreement on Iran surrendering its uranium stockpile.
Yet amid the hawkish posturing, Trump acknowledged that behind-the-scenes diplomacy was quietly advancing. Indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran, conducted through Pakistani "emissaries," were gaining traction, he noted. "A deal could be made fairly quickly," he said.
Global energy markets have responded sharply to the deteriorating situation. Since the United States and Israel launched coordinated large-scale strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, Brent crude has surged to $119.50 per barrel — a peak not recorded since June 2022.
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