Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Sep 14: US President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested that the United States could remain in Iran following the ongoing war and take control of its oil resources, drawing a direct comparison with Washington’s post-Maduro role in Venezuela.
Speaking at the Irish Open golf championship during his visit to Ireland, Trump said the US would ultimately leave Iran unless it decided to stay and "keep the oil like Venezuela". He also indicated that he expects the war to conclude "right after the midterms, maybe before," referring to the upcoming US mid-term elections in November.
Trump further claimed that Iran was "calling constantly" to negotiate a resolution, but insisted Washington would accept only an agreement that satisfied its specific demands. "We have to make the right deal," he said, emphasizing that he would not accept anything short of a favorable outcome.
His comments come at a time when the ongoing conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets. Oil prices have surged above $100 a barrel, while US diesel prices hit a record high exceeding $6.20 a gallon. Trump assured that once the war concludes, US gasoline prices would "drop like a rock".
Trump's reference to Venezuela follows a high-profile US military operation on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Reports indicate that the operation was planned over several months and involved extensive rehearsals by US Special Forces using mock-ups of Maduro's safe house, aided by CIA intelligence tracking his movements.
US forces captured Maduro and his wife in Caracas before transporting him to the United States to face criminal charges, capping off months of intense diplomatic and economic pressure by the Trump administration.
Following the operation, Washington moved to assume a major controlling role in Venezuela's oil sector, managing oil sales and pursuing arrangements that grant US interests access to the country's vast crude reserves.
Trump’s latest remarks now raise the prospect of applying a similar economic model to Iran, linking potential long-term US military presence in the region not only to strategic security objectives but also to direct access to its oil wealth.