President Trump is floating a blunt idea for ending the US-Israeli war with Iran: seize Iran's oil. In a weekend interview with the Financial Times, the US president said his "preference" would be to capture Iran's main export terminal, Kharg Island, insisting it could be taken "very easily" and dismissing domestic critics as "stupid people." Such a move would mark a major escalation as oil prices, already up more than 50% in a month, push Brent crude above $116 a barrel. The Pentagon has ordered about 10,000 additional US troops to the region, including Marines trained for land seizures; the New York Times reports there are now more than 50,000 US troops in the Middle East, about 10,000 more than is typical.
Trump, who claims Iran has effectively undergone "regime change" after the reported deaths of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, also said indirect talks via Pakistani intermediaries are "going very well." He has set an April 6 deadline for Tehran to accept a deal or face further strikes on its energy sector. He further asserted, without independent confirmation, that Iran has allowed 20 Pakistan-flagged tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as a "present" to Washington, even as regional attacks on US forces and allies raise the risk of wider conflict. An assault on Kharg would also likely mean higher casualties and a longer war. Iran's parliamentary speaker recently suggested Trump is talking about negotiations as a cover for launching a ground offensive in Iran, the BBC reports.
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