Ticking time bomb Trump says deal will ‘probably’ be reached soon — or else he’ll blow up Iran
President Trump indicated on Monday that the United States is nearing a potential resolution to the conflict with Iran but stressed that, if negotiations fail, the U.S. would target Iran’s energy infrastructure and its principal export terminal, Kharg Island.
“The United States is engaged in serious talks with a new and more reasonable Iranian regime to end military operations there,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that while significant progress has been made, failure to reach a deal—or continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz—would prompt the U.S. to “obliterate all of their electric generating plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island.”
Kharg Island serves as Iran’s main oil export hub, which the U.S. has deliberately avoided striking, even after issuing an April 6 deadline to Tehran. Trump framed any potential action as retribution for past Iranian attacks that resulted in U.S. and allied casualties, referring to the former regime’s “47-year reign of terror.”
Earlier, late Sunday, Trump confirmed that the U.S. was negotiating both directly and indirectly with Iran. He also raised the prospect of seizing Kharg Island to secure Iranian oil exports. “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t,” he told the Financial Times, adding that any operation there would require a temporary U.S. presence. Trump noted the U.S. has roughly 3,000 targets in Iran still available for strikes, following attacks on 13,000 sites since February 28, but said a diplomatic agreement could be reached quickly.
The president set a 10-day deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which, when blocked, had caused global oil prices to surge by as much as 50%. Last week, Tehran allowed 10 Pakistan-flagged oil tankers through the strait as a gesture toward Washington, followed by 10 more, bringing the total to 20.
The U.S. military recently reinforced its presence in the region. On Friday, 3,500 Marines and sailors arrived aboard the USS Tripoli, part of a larger deployment of 10,000 troops. Trump has indicated these forces could secure both the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian nuclear sites.
Top administration officials have reinforced the U.S. stance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC News that Iran’s attempts to control the strait or impose tolls “will not be allowed.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added on Fox News that the U.S. intends to ensure freedom of navigation through either American or multinational escorts. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. aims to accomplish these objectives in weeks, not months.
Trump’s administration has relied on intermediaries from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan in its discussions with Iran. He cited Iran’s hardline parliament speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, as a negotiator, describing the recent release of oil tankers as a diplomatic “present.”
However, Ghalibaf publicly criticized the U.S. on Monday, warning that Iran is prepared to respond if American forces enter its territory, according to state media IRNA.
Regional leaders have also engaged directly. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi urged Trump to help avert further conflict during a conference in Cairo, appealing to him as a “lover of peace,” according to reports.
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