US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that American forces will “take over” Kharg Island soon and threatened to strike Tehran “very hard tonight” after tensions in West Asia escalated.
The US President said that America was still talking to Iran, but his preference would be to take over the oil infrastructure hub Kharg Island.
Escalation in West Asia and fragmented peace talks
Western officials and Iranian sources on Thursday said indirect talks between Washington and Tehran on a preliminary peace deal have intensified, but the renewed strikes in the region have undermined prospects of a swift end to the over three-month-old conflict, Reuters reported.
“The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
The Venezuela precedent for energy control
The US President compared his Iran plan to how the American forces took control of Venezuela’s oil sector after capturing the country’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro in January.
Trump said, “At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela.”
Widespread heavy exchanges of fire
Trump’s post came after US and Iran exchanged fire for second consecutive day. The attack launched by US forces, which lasted till Thursday morning in Iran, was reportedly more intense and widespread than the strikes launched earlier.
Tehran retaliated with strikes at Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain as it did a day earlier. But the Islamic Republic released little information related to damages caused by US strikes.
Ceasefire declared meaningless says Tehran
Iran is yet to respond to Trump’s fresh warning but the country’s foreign ministry earlier said the ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran on April 8 has been “effectively rendered meaningless” by the fresh US strikes, Reuters reported.
The strategic value of Kharg Island
Kharg Island, which is located on the other side of Persian Gulf from US bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, is the hub of Iran’s oil industry and it is a major oil terminal. The island was attacked by American forces on March 13 with Trump saying US military “totally obliterated” every military target there.
If America takes over Kharg Island, it could effectively block Iran’s oil exports and provide a platform to the US military to carry out attacks in mainland Tehran, BBC reported.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (Source: AP Photo) 
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