US may take Iranian oil – Trump

President Donald Trump says he is interested in seizing Iranian oil as US mulls capture of Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub.

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump suggested over the weekend that the United States could seize Iranian oil and capture the Islamic Republic’s primary energy export hub.

Speaking on Sunday with the Financial Times, the president confirmed reports that he is considering ordering the military to take control of Kharg Island, a strategically critical Iranian position in the Persian Gulf, through which nine-tenths of Iran’s energy exports flow.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Trump had publicly discussed seizing the island while also saying talks were showing some progress.

In addition to Kharg Island, Trump said that the US may “take the oil in Iran,” signaling that military pressure on Tehran could still intensify despite ongoing negotiations.

The move could help curb the sharp rise in oil prices, which have surged since the beginning of the war with Iran on February 28.

Iran’s partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent energy prices soaring further, with Brent crude oil trading at $116 a barrel as of Monday morning, the highest level since the conflict began.

“To be honest with you, my favorite 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 said.

Trump added that he has yet to reach a decision on the seizure of Kharg Island.

“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump continued. “It would also mean we had to be there for a while.”

The president downplayed claims that the capture of the island would require a large-scale operation.

“I don’t think they have any defense. We could take it very easily.”

Alongside his plans for possible escalations in the war, Trump also said that the indirect talks with Iran via Pakistani emissaries continue to show promise.

“A deal could be made fairly quickly,” Trump said, while adding that the bank of targets in Iran is being steadily emptied.

“We have got about 3,000 targets left. We’ve bombed 13,000 targets, and another couple thousand to go.”