Donald Trump continues to talk of peace deals with Iran, but thousands of US troops are heading for the Middle East, raising questions about the President's real objectives. More than 3,000 Airborne and US Special Forces troops were preparing for operations on Iranian territory on Wednesday night, set to join 5,000 US Marines already closing in on the country.
The President is expected to order an invasion of the strategically significant Kharg Island, through which 90 per cent of Iranian oil is processed, should the proposed 'deal' fall through. That could force Tehran to cease its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. However, it is believed the reports may be a deliberate distraction ahead of a possible alternative US plan to seal off Iranian nuclear facilities inside the country.
Last night, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, warned of 'relentless attacks' in the event of any invasion. He said: 'All enemy movements are under the full surveillance of our armed forces. If they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks.'
Former CIA Director John Brennan said he believed the Iranian regime over Trump. Asked about disputes over whether the two sides were engaged in talks, he said: 'I tend to believe Iran more than I do Donald Trump, because he could not acknowledge the truth even when he's slapped in the face with it repeatedly.'
Any invasion could take place as soon as this weekend when US Marines who have sailed from the Pacific are expected to arrive in the region. The 82nd Airborne, based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, specialises in rapid, high‑risk missions. Its Immediate Response Force unit has around 3,000 soldiers who can be deployed anywhere in the world within 18 hours.
Seizing tiny Kharg Island, 20 miles from the Iranian coast, would offer Trump an opportunity to bargain with the regime. But US military commentators suggested any invasion would be symbolic rather than strategic. Former US Special Forces soldier Matt Tardio said: 'The United States can isolate Kharg from the sky with A-10 bomber aircraft and Apache helicopter gunships operating freely over the Persian Gulf. Sending in troops to Kharg Island would be symbolic, stupid and certainly would not be advisable.'
