New Delhi : US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to “assume total control” of Iran’s oil and gas industries and warned that American forces would hit the country “VERY HARD TONIGHT”, a dramatic escalation that came just days after he suggested a peace agreement with Tehran was within reach.
The remarks underscored the increasingly unpredictable nature of Washington’s messaging on Iran, with Trump alternating between declarations that a deal is imminent and threats of intensified military action.
Trump said in a social media post that the US would hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT” and would “assume total control” of Iran’s oil and gas industries, including the key Kharg Island oil terminal, in the “not too distant future.”
Trump compared his plans for Iran to how the US assumed control of Venezuela’s oil sector after capturing then-president Nicolás Maduro in January.
The post comes after the US and Iran traded strikes for a second straight day. The American attack, which lasted into Thursday morning in Iran, appeared more intense and widespread than the day before.
The latest comments followed a second day of direct military exchanges between the United States and Iran, raising concerns that a fragile ceasefire could unravel and push the region closer to a broader conflict.
Trump’s threats on Thursday, while stark, represented his latest verbal escalation in the Iran war. In April, he warned Iran that “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if it didn’t agree to his terms, before extending a ceasefire in the war.
Mixed Signals From Washington
Trump’s threat to take control of Iran’s energy sector marked one of his most aggressive statements since hostilities resumed.
The comments also highlighted what analysts describe as a widening gap between the administration’s diplomatic rhetoric and military posture.
For weeks, Trump repeatedly said that negotiations with Tehran were progressing and that a settlement could be reached soon. As recently as this week, he indicated that an agreement remained possible.
Yet within days, the US president shifted to threatening new strikes against Iranian infrastructure, including power plants, bridges and oil facilities, while warning that time for diplomacy was running out.
The rapid changes in tone have fuelled uncertainty among allies and adversaries alike about Washington’s long-term objectives.
Iranian officials have repeatedly cited Trump’s shifting positions as evidence that the United States lacks a coherent strategy toward the Islamic Republic.
Tehran Questions US Intentions
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the latest American attacks had effectively rendered a nearly two-month ceasefire meaningless.
“The illegal and criminal attacks perpetrated by the United States in recent hours not only constitute a flagrant violation of international norms and principles but also render the ceasefire practically meaningless,” the ministry said in a statement.
Senior Iranian officials argued that Washington’s alternating threats and diplomatic overtures reflected confusion rather than strength.
Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said Iranian military operations had left the U.S. administration “confused and bewildered”.
“The crushing blows and strong retaliation of the Armed Forces and the great nation of Iran have confused and bewildered the US president,” Azizi said.
He said Trump’s latest threats were inconsistent with efforts to pursue negotiations and reflected growing frustration in Washington after failing to achieve its objectives through military pressure.
“The enemy has reached an impasse concerning its policies and has been forced to change its approach,” Azizi said. “Nonetheless, it is still trying to compensate for its losses through wild gestures and abrupt decisions.” -(KO)
