“A wrong strategy and impulsive decisions will lead to the collapse of the entire situation, destroy infrastructure and markets, and create a vast swamp in which we will be stuck for years. You will see a different Iran,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.
Donald Trump announced on Thursday further night attacks on Iran and the takeover of Khark Island and other key points of the country's oil infrastructure. The US president also declared his intention to take control of the Iranian oil and gas market.
In response, the Iranian military command warned that any further attack attempt would be met with a more decisive response. “Oil and gas exports will either be available to everyone or not at all,” says the official statement.
Khark Island, located about 25 km off the coast of Iran, plays a key role in oil exports – over the years, 90% of the country's oil has passed through it. Iranian exports of this raw material. Due to the shallow coastal waters, tankers load on this island.
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Diplomacy in the shadow of conflict. Key points of contention
At the end of February, the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, which responded by striking countries in the region and temporarily blocking the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, oil and gas prices skyrocketed. A shaky truce has been in force since April 8, but mutual attacks are intensifying, the last of which took place on the night from Wednesday to Thursday.
Despite the escalation of the conflict, peace negotiations are ongoing, reports Reuters. Key contentious issues include the future of Iran's nuclear program, ending Israel's war with Hezbollah, unblocking the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran's access to frozen assets.
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Experts: taking over the island may prolong the conflict
At the beginning of the week, Donald Trump signaled that an agreement was within reach. However, he later returned to harsher rhetoric, threatening further strikes if Iran did not accept the US conditions.
Read also: Oil prices react to attacks by the US and Iran. Inventories at their lowest level in months
According to Reuters, a possible US takeover of Khark Island would not immediately translate into global oil supplies – Iran's exports are already limited by the US naval blockade.
However, analysts point out that such a move could prolong the conflict rather than resolve it.
CNN, in turn, reports that Iran has been strengthening defense systems on Khark Island for months, preparing for a potential attack from the US.
