Trump Floats Seizing Iran’s Oil, Including Kharg Island Export Hub

US President Donald Trump stated he might seize Iran’s oil resources, such as the vital Kharg Island export terminal, amid the ongoing war with Iran and Israel.

In a Sunday Financial Times interview, Trump likened the approach to the US strategy in Venezuela, where he said America plans to hold the oil sector long-term. He specifically highlighted seizing Kharg Island, the route for most Iranian oil exports.

“To be honest with you, my favourite 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 remarked. “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options. It would also mean we had to be there [in Kharg Island] for a while. I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”

The comments follow a regional conflict that’s spiked global oil prices, with Brent crude surpassing $116 per barrel due to supply fears.

The Pentagon has surged thousands of troops to the area, including 3,500 recent arrivals, plus Marines and the 82nd Airborne Division—units primed for seizing strategic sites. Trump noted risks like higher US casualties and drawn-out fighting, despite the buildup.

Indirect talks via Pakistani intermediaries continue, and Trump set an April 6 deadline for Iran to accept terms or face US strikes on its energy infrastructure.