(U.S., 30th) U.S. President Trump said he wants to seize Iran's oil and does not rule out occupying Kharg Island, Iran's oil export hub.
In an interview with the UK's Financial Times on Sunday (March 29), Trump said he hopes to 'seize oil from Iran' as he did in Venezuela.
In the interview, Trump said: "To be honest, what I most want to do is take Iran's oil, but some foolish people at home say, 'Why would you do that?' But they are just foolish."
The report indicated that for Trump to take Iran's oil, the U.S. would have to occupy Kharg Island. However, if the U.S. were to attack Kharg Island, the lifeline of Iran's oil, the risks would be high, inevitably increasing U.S. military casualties and extending the duration and cost of the war.
Trump continued: "Maybe we'll take Kharg Island, maybe we won't. We have many options. This also means we would have to stay there (on Kharg Island) for a while."
When asked about Iran’s defensive situation on Kharg Island, Trump said: "I don't think they have any defenses. We could easily take it."
Despite threatening to cut off Iran's oil production, Trump emphasized that indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran, conducted via a 'special envoy' in Pakistan, are progressing well. Trump has set April 6 as the final deadline for Iran to accept a deal to end the war, or else face U.S. strikes on its energy infrastructure.
When asked whether it’s possible to reach a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, Trump refused to reveal details. He said: "We still have about 3,000 targets to deal with—we have already bombed 13,000 targets—and there are thousands more to go. The agreement could be reached very soon."
In the interview, Trump said: "To be honest, what I most want to do is take Iran's oil, but some foolish people at home say, 'Why would you do that?' But they are just foolish."
The report indicated that for Trump to take Iran's oil, the U.S. would have to occupy Kharg Island. However, if the U.S. were to attack Kharg Island, the lifeline of Iran's oil, the risks would be high, inevitably increasing U.S. military casualties and extending the duration and cost of the war.
Trump continued: "Maybe we'll take Kharg Island, maybe we won't. We have many options. This also means we would have to stay there (on Kharg Island) for a while."
When asked about Iran’s defensive situation on Kharg Island, Trump said: "I don't think they have any defenses. We could easily take it."
Despite threatening to cut off Iran's oil production, Trump emphasized that indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran, conducted via a 'special envoy' in Pakistan, are progressing well. Trump has set April 6 as the final deadline for Iran to accept a deal to end the war, or else face U.S. strikes on its energy infrastructure.
When asked whether it’s possible to reach a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, Trump refused to reveal details. He said: "We still have about 3,000 targets to deal with—we have already bombed 13,000 targets—and there are thousands more to go. The agreement could be reached very soon."