President Donald Trump on Thursday said the U.S. would be “hitting Iran very hard tonight” and threatened to take control of the country’s oil infrastructure.
“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,” warned Trump, likening the plan to what the U.S. has done in Venezuela.
This isn’t the first time Trump has singled out Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, which serves as Iran’s main oil terminal. The U.S. has previously bombed targets on the island to serve as a warning to Tehran, without striking the oil infrastructure.
Trump’s threat comes after two days of tit-for-tat strikes between Washington and Tehran in the Middle East region, jeopardizing the fragile cease-fire amid drawn-out peace negotiations.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces launched what it called “self-defense strikes” against Iran on Tuesday, after holding Tehran responsible for the downing of a U.S. Army helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran retaliated with strikes targeting U.S. bases across Jordan and several Gulf nations, renewing concerns of instability in the region.
Hostilities have continued to escalate, with Trump asserting Wednesday that Tehran has “taken too long to negotiate a deal” and will now “have to pay the price.”
Iran did not immediately respond to Trump's latest threat against its oil infrastructure.
However, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi had earlier said the latest U.S. strikes amount to “a widespread and utter nullification of the cease-fire.”
Washington, meanwhile, has continued to deliver mixed messaging as to the status of the U.S.-Iran peace deal negotiations, which have stretched on for months.
Despite renewing his threats of military escalation, Trump on Wednesday insisted that he is eager to reach a "deal that is meaningful," but accused Tehran of "playing us for suckers."
Iran has yet to make major concessions related to its nuclear capabilities and desire to manage naval navigation in the Strait of Hormuz—the key stumbling blocks of a Washington-Tehran agreement.
According to a report by Reuters, citing three Iranian sources, efforts to reach an interim deal to end hostilities are ongoing, with officials from both sides actively engaging in talks.
Tehran’s push for the release of billions of dollars of frozen Iranian funds is reportedly a focal point of the discussions.
Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress that Iran had not been offered sanctions relief from the Trump Administration just in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
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