‘My favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran’: Trump indicates possibility of seizing Kharg Island

President Donald Trump said he wants to take control of oil in Iran and suggested the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub, amid the ongoing US military buildup in the Middle East.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said he preferred to take control of Iranian oil, comparing the strategy to the US plan in Venezuela, where it aims to control the oil industry indefinitely following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

“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,” said Trump to the financial news site.

The comments come as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran escalated, causing oil prices to surge by more than 50 per cent in a month. Brent crude exceeded $116 a barrel on Monday morning in Asia, nearing its highest level since the conflict began.

Seizing Kharg Island, through which most of Iran’s oil is exported, would be a significant military operation. Trump indicated that the US has a range of options and acknowledged that holding the island would require a prolonged presence.

The US has deployed around 3,500 troops to the region recently, including 2,200 Marines, with additional forces en route. The Pentagon has ordered a total of 10,000 troops trained for land seizure and occupation to the Middle East.

Despite the threats, Trump noted that indirect talks between the US and Iran, facilitated by Pakistani intermediaries, are progressing. He set an April 6 deadline for Iran to accept a deal to end the conflict or face strikes on its energy sector.

Trump also claimed that Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, authorised the passage of additional Pakistan-flagged oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which he described as a “present” to the White House. He further asserted that Iran’s leadership has changed due to recent strikes, though Tehran has denied these claims and maintained that its supreme leader is safe.