President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to “take the oil in Iran” and could seize the Kharg Island oil export center, in an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday, March 29.
Donald Trump reiterated in an interview with the Financial Times published Sunday evening that the United States could “take Iranian oil”, hinting at seizing the Kharg Island, crucial for Iranian oil exports, while stating that negotiations with Iran were going “very well.”
“Maybe we will take Kharg Island, maybe not. We have a lot of options… I don’t think they have any defense. We could take it very easily,” assured the American president, questioned by the newspaper about the state of Iranian defenses at the Kharg Island.
Targeted in mid-March by an American attack, this strip of land located in the northern Gulf is home to Iran’s largest oil terminal, which accounts for about 90% of its crude oil exports, according to a recent note from the American bank JP Morgan.
Washington is negotiating directly and indirectly with Tehran, the American president also said to journalists aboard Air Force One, saying he believes that an agreement could be reached very soon, without ruling out the possibility that discussions may fail.
“These comments come after Iran accused the Trump administration of claiming to want to negotiate but preparing for a ground military operation. Tehran is ready to respond in case of a ground attack,” said the president of the Iranian parliament. “As long as the Americans want Iran’s surrender, our response is that we will never accept humiliation,” declared Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.
As the conflict, triggered by US and Israeli bombings in Iran, has been raging for over a month, several regional countries have united in Pakistan to discuss proposals to end the war. Islamabad has stated that it is preparing to host “meaningful discussions” between the parties involved in the conflict in the coming days, without knowing if the United States and Iran have agreed to participate.
For the first time since the beginning of the conflict, the Houthis of Yemen, allies of Tehran, launched missiles on Israel on Saturday, raising fears of further escalation of the conflict.
The Israeli army continues its operations in Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to expand its operations in the south of the country, denouncing rocket fire from Hezbollah. The Israeli state had said last week that it would take control of a “security zone” extending to the Litani River, reviving the specter of an illegal occupation of Lebanon as in 1982-2000. An Israeli minister called for the annexation of southern Lebanon.
