President Donald Trump singled out a key Iranian oil export hub and said plainly, "I want Iran's oil," laying out his intentions. By raising both military options and the prospect of talks, he has increased tensions across the Middle East.
On March 29 (local time), the Financial Times quoted Trump saying, "Frankly, securing Iran's oil would be best, but some foolish people in the U.S. ask, 'Why do that?'" He added, "To be honest, what I like most is seizing oil inside Iran, but some people here say, 'Why do that?' They are stupid."
He explicitly named Kharg Island, a central hub for Iran's oil exports, and left open the possibility of military action. "Maybe we'll seize Kharg Island, maybe we won't. We have a lot of options," Trump said. "That could mean we might have to stay there for a while."
Reuters reported the Trump administration has considered deploying ground troops to Kharg Island. The island hosts facilities that handle roughly 90% of Iran's oil exports. Because Kharg sits close to the Iranian mainland, analysts warn any military operation there would carry high risks. Still, Trump said, "I don't think they have any defenses. We could take it very easily."
As military tensions rose, troop movements were already underway. The Wall Street Journal reported the U.S. deployed an amphibious assault ship to the region carrying about 2,500 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and roughly 1,000 Navy personnel. Officials are also reportedly weighing a possible deployment of an additional 10,000 ground troops. If ground combat occurs, those forces could be sent to key sites such as Kharg Island.
Iran vowed a hardline response, warning, "If U.S. forces set foot in Iran, we will burn them," signaling a determination to fight. Trump, by contrast, said, "They don't have defensive capability."
Alongside the military posture, diplomatic engagement continued. Aboard Air Force One en route to Andrews Air Force Base, Trump told reporters the sides had "very good talks, direct or indirect." He also claimed Iran had accepted most of the demands — referring to a 15-point proposal he said he offered to Tehran.
Trump pointed to an increase in tanker traffic, saying, "The tankers passing through the strait have doubled to 20 and have already started moving."
Addressing his earlier description of the development as a "gift," he said, "When I called it a 'gift,' many people didn't believe me. Now they see the situation and are quiet, and the negotiations are going very well." He added that the decision had been approved by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament.
On reports that recent military operations had killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials, Trump said, "The people we're dealing with are a completely different group," calling them "very professional." He also commented on Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been mentioned as a possible successor: "He's either dead or in very bad shape. I haven't heard from him."
