US President Donald Trump has raised the possibility of American forces seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf, as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

In an interview published by the Financial Times, Trump said Washington was weighing multiple options regarding the strategic island.

“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” he said, adding that any such move could require a sustained US presence on the ground.

In the interview, Trump said his “preference” would be to take control of Iran’s oil, drawing comparisons with US policy in Venezuela, where he claimed Washington aimed to exert long-term control over the energy sector.

The US president also downplayed Iran’s defensive capabilities at the site, saying he believed the island could be captured “very easily”.

The remarks come after the United States carried out air strikes that it said targeted military positions on Kharg Island.

Iran has warned it would respond forcefully to any escalation, including the possibility of launching ground operations against Gulf Arab states and carrying out additional attacks if US troops land on its territory.

The US has significantly increased troop deployments to the region, with the Pentagon ordering around 10,000 to be positioned for potential operations.

Thousands have already arrived, including marines and troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, with additional forces en route.

Trump suggested that seizing Kharg Island remained one of several options under consideration, though he acknowledged it could require a prolonged military presence.

He also claimed Iran had limited defences at the facility, asserting it could be taken “very easily”.

However, analysts warn that such a move could deepen the conflict, increase US casualties and prolong the war.

Despite the aggressive rhetoric, Trump said indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran were progressing through Pakistani intermediaries, and expressed hope that a deal could be reached soon.

He has set an early April deadline for Iran to agree to terms or face potential strikes targeting its energy infrastructure.

Trump said a ceasefire agreement with Iran could be reached “fairly quickly”, but declined to provide specifics on whether it would lead to the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking in the interview, Trump said US forces had already struck thousands of targets and warned that more remained.

“We’ve got about 3,000 targets left — we’ve bombed 13,000 targets — and another couple of thousand targets to go,” he said, adding that negotiations were progressing.

The US president also claimed that Iran had recently allowed additional Pakistan-flagged oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the move as a goodwill gesture towards Washington.

He said the number of tankers had increased from 10 to 20, though the claim could not be independently verified.

Trump further claimed that the arrangement had been authorised by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s parliament, and suggested that indirect negotiations between the two sides were advancing.

In his remarks, Trump also made claims about significant political changes within Iran, asserting that the country had effectively undergone a “regime change” following the deaths of senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He additionally claimed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei could be dead or seriously injured.

Tehran, however, has rejected such assertions, maintaining that its leadership remains intact and that the country’s top officials are safe, despite speculation fuelled by their limited public appearances in recent weeks.