Trump threatens more strikes on Kharg Island, says deal not good enough yet

2026-03-15 - 07:44

US President Donald Trump has threatened more attacks on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub, saying the Iran deal terms were not yet good enough. With no signs of any ease in Middle East tension, Iran has made it clear to give a befitting response to the US and Israel strikes. According to the media reports, the US President has claimed demolition of most of Kharg Island, saying a few more would follow “just for fun”. He also claimed that Iran was ready to strike a deal, but the terms were not yet good enough. The US President’s latest rhetoric has undermined efforts of nations trying to end the conflict through dialogue. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz had already caused a headache for the US and its allies, posing a threat of a further increase in global oil prices. The US President suggested that the affected countries should send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz. He urged other nations to come forward to secure passage for their oil, saying the US will provide full support for such an initiative. He said the US will coordinate with those countries to quickly and smoothly resolve the issue. Rejecting the possibility of any ceasefire until accepting terms, Iran continued its strikes on key targets in the Middle East. Tehran called on civilians in the UAE to evacuate ports, docks and US hideouts, saying Iran has been targeted from those areas. Calling any facility associated with the US a legitimate target, Iran urged all US industries to move out of the region. Oil market disruptions looked unlikely to end soon. Some oil-loading operations were suspended in Fujairah, a global ship-refuelling hub, after a drone attack. Trump was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he kept a relatively low public profile on Saturday. In one post, he wrote that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. None of those countries gave any immediate indication they would do so. Mojtaba Khamenei has said the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed. Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed speculation from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that Khamenei was wounded and likely disfigured. Since the start of the war on February 28, more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran, have lost their lives. Hormuz disruption could triple Pakistan’s oil import bill: Study