Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday to "completely obliterate" Iran's Kharg Island, a key oil hub, its power plants, and oil wells if a peace deal with the United States is not "shortly" reached.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump made the remarks in a social media post amid growing fears of a prolonged war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, and the conflict's impact on oil prices and inflation-key issues that could affect voter sentiment ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November.
Trump stated on Truth Social that the United States is engaged in serious discussions with "a new, and more reasonable, regime" to end military operations in Iran, claiming that significant progress has been made in the negotiations. He warned that if a deal is not reached soon and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately "open for business," the U.S. would respond by targeting Iran's electric generating plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island, which have so far been left untouched. Potential targets could also include all desalinization plants in Iran.
He further mentioned that any military strikes would be "in retribution for" the lives of many U.S. soldiers and others whom he accused Iran of having killed during the "old regime's 47-year reign of terror."
On Thursday, Trump extended his pause on U.S. military strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure by 10 days to 8 p.m. on April 6 (Washington time) to allow more time for negotiations.