President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will strike Iran “very hard” and assume control of its oil industry “in the not too distant future.” The threat comes as both sides continue exchanging fire, raising fears of a return to full-scale conflict in the Middle East.
Kharg Island Targeted
Among the sites Trump mentioned for seizure is Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal. However, it remains unclear how the US would achieve this without deploying ground troops. Trump drew a parallel to Venezuela, where the US took over the oil sector after capturing then-President Nicolas Maduro in January.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: “The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT. At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America.”
Ceasefire at Risk
The latest clashes come amid stalled efforts to end the war, pushing the fragile two-month ceasefire to the brink. Iran’s foreign ministry said the US attacks had “effectively rendered the ceasefire … meaningless” but stopped short of declaring it abandoned.
Central to negotiations is Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted oil and gas supplies and driven up fuel and food prices. The US claims it now controls the strategic waterway after a secret mission to escort ships through, though vessel numbers remain far below pre-conflict levels.
Nuclear Concerns
Another obstacle is Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran insists is peaceful. However, the US and Israel fear it could be used to build a weapon due to Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Trump is under pressure over the Iran war as the situation continues to escalate.
