President Donald Trump told the Financial Times he would “take the oil in Iran” by seizing the country’s main export terminal on Kharg Island, saying the United States had “a lot of options” and that holding the island would require a temporary presence there. He dismissed domestic critics who oppose such moves as “some stupid people,” and said Washington might or might not move to seize Kharg.
Trump contrasted the approach to Iran with US plans for Venezuela’s oil sector, where he said the administration intended to exert control “indefinitely” after the January abduction of Nicolás Maduro. He also claimed Iran had agreed to allow 20 ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz as “a sign of respect.”
The administration has reinforced forces in the Middle East as the US‑Israel war with Iran entered its fifth week. Marines have been deployed, plans to send thousands from the 82nd Airborne have been discussed, and US Central Command reported about 3,500 additional troops arrived aboard the USS Tripoli. US officials told The Washington Post that senior discussions have included the possible seizure of Kharg Island, a key export terminal for Iranian crude.
Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum calls Kharg the energy sector’s vital nerve centre: crude from major offshore fields is brought ashore via subsea pipelines for processing, storage and shipment. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned any attempt to seize the island would be met by targeted strikes on the “vital infrastructure” of any regional country that assisted, and threatened US forces on the ground, saying Iranian fighters were ready to punish any regional allies that took part.
Regional diplomacy continued in Islamabad, where senior diplomats from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye met to prepare de‑escalation efforts as the conflict disrupted the global economy. Oil prices rose, with Brent topping $116 a barrel.
Iran’s Ministry of Health reported the death toll from the war at 2,076 killed, including 216 children; at least 25 people have died in Gulf Cooperation Council states. Trump proposed a 15‑point peace plan that critics called “maximalist”; Tehran rejected the plan and issued its own conditions, including an end to US‑Israeli attacks, reparations for damage and security guarantees.
On negotiations, Trump said the US had struck thousands of targets and still had around 3,000 targets remaining, suggesting a deal could be reached quickly but adding that the US sometimes negotiates with Iran and then resumes strikes. He also repeated assertions about Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s supreme leader, claiming he was “either dead or in extremely bad shape,” a claim Tehran has denied and which Iranian authorities say their leadership remains safe.