ToplinePresident Donald Trump insisted that regime change in Iran has already happened and described the country’s current leaders as “very reasonable,” as he addressed reporters on Air Force One on Sunday evening, a short while after he floated the idea of seizing the Iranian export hub Kharg Island and taking its oil. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media onboard Air Force One.Getty ImagesKey FactsTrump said, “We've had regime change if you look already, because the one regime was decimated, destroyed, they're all dead.”The president claimed that U.S.-Israeli strikes have also left the “next regime…mostly dead” before adding “the third regime we're dealing with different people than anybody's dealt with before…and frankly, they've been very reasonable.”Trump then added: “I think we'll make a deal with them, I'm pretty sure, but it's possible we won't.”When asked about the U.S.’s 15-point peace plan offered to Tehran, Trump claimed: “They gave us most of the points…We’re going to be asking for a couple of other things,” although Iranian leaders have publicly rejected Trump’s proposal and pitched their own 5 points.The president also took credit for Iran’s decision to allow 20 more ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, “They gave us as a tribute, I don't know, I can't define it exactly, but they gave us, I think, out of a sign of respect, 20 boats of oil, big boats of oil going through the Hormuz Strait.”What Did Trump Say About Seizing Iran’s Oil?Trump’s comments about negotiations going well came just a short while after the Financial Times published an interview with him on Sunday, where he said, “To be honest with you, my favorite thing is to take the oil in Iran, but some stupid people back in the US say: ‘why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.” Capturing Iran’s oil resources would require a U.S. military operation to capture Kharg Island, the country’s primary oil export hub, which sits deep in the Persian Gulf. Trump told FT, “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” but also acknowledged that capturing the island would mean U.S. troops will have to be placed there “for a while.”How Have Oil Prices Been Impacted?Concerns about a protracted conflict pushed global oil prices up once again on Monday, with the global benchmark Brent Crude index rising to $115.50 per barrel, up more than 2.57% from Friday’s close.What To Watch For While speaking to reporters on board Air Force One, Trump claimed Iran is going to “give up nuclear weapons” and give the U.S. its “nuclear dust,” presumably referring to Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday night reported that Trump was considering a potential military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium from the country. The report said Trump hasn’t yet made a decision on the matter, and he is “considering the danger” American troops could face in carrying out this risky mission.Further ReadingIran Allows 20 More Ships To Pass Through Strait Of Hormuz, Pakistan Says: ‘Meaningful Step Toward Peace’ (Forbes)Donald Trump says US could ‘take the oil in Iran’ (Financial Times)
Trump Insists Iran Regime Change Has Happened And Says He Could Seize Its Oil
Trump said the current regime in charge of Iran is “very reasonable” as he took credit for the country’s decision to allow 20 more ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.













