New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has indicated that the US could take control of Iran’s oil resources, including the strategic Kharg Island, as the Middle East conflict entered its fifth week.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said his preference would be to take Iran’s oil. He suggested that the US could seize Kharg Island, which serves as Tehran’s main oil export hub, and maintain a presence there if required.
He dismissed concerns raised by critics in the US and indicated that Iran lacked strong defence capabilities, adding that the US could take control of the island easily.
The remarks came as tensions spread across Gulf nations, raising fears of attacks on energy infrastructure and pushing global oil prices higher.
Trump also said indirect negotiations between the US and Iran were ongoing through intermediaries from Pakistan and were making progress. However, he did not provide details on a possible agreement related to the Strait of Hormuz. He set an April 6 deadline for Tehran to agree to terms or face potential US strikes on its energy infrastructure.
He indicated that the US had already targeted thousands of sites and that more targets remained, while adding that a deal could still be reached quickly.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iranian forces were prepared to respond to any US ground deployment.
The conflict intensified with the involvement of Yemen’s Houthi forces. Israeli forces intercepted drones launched from Yemen and carried out strikes on Iranian infrastructure in Tehran in response to missile attacks, theguardian.com reported.
The escalating conflict has impacted global markets. Brent crude prices crossed USD 116 per barrel, while Asian stock markets declined amid concerns about a prolonged war.
Separately, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran’s heavy-water production facility at Khondab sustained severe damage following recent strikes and is no longer operational.
Qatar on Monday strongly criticised Iran over attacks targeting critical infrastructure in Kuwait, CNN reported.
In an official statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it strongly condemned the Iranian strikes, which hit a military camp, a power facility, and a water desalination plant in Kuwait. The ministry described the attacks as a serious escalation and a threat to regional stability.
