WASHINGTON — In a recent interview, President Trump addressed the topic of Iran’s Kharg Island fuel depot, indicating that while it is not a current priority for the U.S., his stance could swiftly change.
Kharg Island, situated approximately 16 miles from Iran’s coastline in the Persian Gulf, is a crucial hub, facilitating around 90% of Iran’s oil exports.
During a conversation with Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade, Trump remarked, “It’s not high on the list, but it’s among many considerations, and I can change my mind in seconds.” This interview was broadcast on Friday morning.
The president, in a somewhat admonishing tone, told Kilmeade, “I can’t answer a question like that … You shouldn’t be even asking it.” Kilmeade, who also co-hosts Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” morning show, is familiar with Trump, having received frequent calls from him during his first term.
Trump further added, “Let’s say I was going to do it, or let’s say I wasn’t going to do it. What would I tell you? ‘Oh, yes, Brian, I’m thinking about doing it, let me let you know what time and when it’ll take place.’… It’s sort of a foolish question — a little surprising for you, because you’re a smart man.”
Despite the current stance on Kharg Island, Trump did not dismiss the possibility of action, especially in light of Iran’s ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This closure has significantly impacted international shipping and driven up global oil prices, with Brent crude reaching over $102 per barrel as of Friday afternoon.
The two-week conflict hasn’t impacted the island — with Iran exporting more fuel than before the war started, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
Experts say control of Kharg could have a massive impact.
“Take it out, and this means cutting off the military budget in addition to pulling the plug on the basic services that keep Iranian society functioning,” Mohammed Soliman, a senior fellow at the DC-based Middle East Institute, told The Post earlier this week.
“Losing Kharg for even a few weeks will create a security and societal crisis in Iran at the same time. Tehran doesn’t get to choose which one to deal with first,” said Soliman.
“The revenue shortfall would run into the billions monthly. You’d see the currency collapse further, inflation spike, subsidies buckle, and this will add more pressure on the country with no quick way to stop the bleeding.”
Such an operation would be the first confirmed use of US “boots on the ground” since the US-Israeli attack began on Feb. 28. There’s also speculation that Trump could order special forces onto Iran’s mainland to seize nuclear material at the Isfahan facility.
Trump told The Post on the third day of the war that he was open to deploying ground troops “if they were necessary.”
“I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground,” he said on March 2. “Like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it.”
