U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering seizing Iran’s oil resources, including the strategic export hub of Kharg Island, as the United States deploys thousands of troops to the Middle East.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said his “preference would be to take the oil,” drawing a comparison to Venezuela, where he said the U.S. intends to control the oil industry “indefinitely” following the removal of President Nicolás Maduro.
“To be honest with you, my favorite thing is to take the oil in Iran, but some stupid people back in the U.S. say, ‘Why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people,” Trump said.
Seizing Kharg Island, through which most of Iran’s oil exports pass, would mark a significant escalation in the conflict and could require a sustained U.S. military presence.
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump said. “It would also mean we had to be there [in Kharg Island] for a while.”
Asked about Iranian defenses on the island, Trump said, “I don’t think they have any defense. We could take it very easily.”
The comments come as the U.S. continues to build up forces in the region. The Pentagon has ordered the deployment of 10,000 troops trained to seize and hold territory. About 3,500 troops, including roughly 2,200 Marines, arrived last week, with another 2,200 Marines en route. Thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to the region.
An assault on Kharg Island would carry significant risks, potentially increasing U.S. casualties and extending both the cost and duration of the war.
The conflict has already pushed oil prices sharply higher, with Brent crude rising more than 50% over the past month to above $116 a barrel, near its highest level since the fighting began.
At the same time, the conflict has widened across the region. An attack on a Saudi air base on Friday wounded 12 U.S. troops and damaged a $270 million U.S. E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft. Houthi forces in Yemen also launched a ballistic missile toward Israel, raising concerns of further escalation.
Despite the military buildup and rhetoric, Trump said negotiations with Iran are progressing. He noted that indirect talks via Pakistani intermediaries are ongoing and described them as moving “very well.” He has set an April 6 deadline for Tehran to accept a deal or face potential U.S. strikes on its energy sector.
Trump declined to provide details on a possible ceasefire or reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route, but suggested a deal could come quickly.
“We’ve got about 3,000 targets left — we’ve bombed 13,000 targets — and another couple of thousand targets to go,” he said. “A deal could be made fairly quickly.”
Trump also claimed that Iran had allowed oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a gesture during negotiations, saying the number had increased from 10 to 20, though the claim could not be independently verified.
“They gave us 10,” he said. “Now they’re giving 20 and the 20 have already started and they’re going right up the middle of the Strait.”
He added that Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, had authorized the move.
“He’s the one who authorised the ships to me,” Trump said. “Remember I said they’re giving me a present? And everyone said: ‘What’s the present? Bullshit.’ When they heard about that, they kept their mouth shut and the negotiations are going very well.”
Trump also said that Iran had effectively undergone “regime change” following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials in earlier strikes.
“The people we’re dealing with are a totally different group of people . . . [They] are very professional,” he said.
He added that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, who has been reported as his successor, may be dead or severely injured.
“The son is either dead or in extremely bad shape,” Trump said. “We’ve not heard from him at all. He’s gone.”
Iranian officials have denied those claims, insisting the country’s leadership remains intact despite speculation fueled by the absence of senior figures from public view.