Trump makes another threat! Destroying Hargh Island, the heart of Iran's oil industry, puts global energy at risk.
2026-03-31 09:04:18
US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday (March 30) that if the Strait of Hormuz cannot be reopened "immediately" and a peace agreement is not reached "soon," the United States will "completely" destroy Iran's power plants, oil wells, and Hargh Island, and possibly even all its desalination plants.
Trump stated, "The United States is in serious discussions with a new, more rational regime to end our military operations in Iran. While significant progress has been made, if an agreement is not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately reopened, we will end our pleasant stay in Iran by blowing up and completely destroying all their power plants, oil wells, and Hargh Island (which we have not yet touched)."
With the Strait of Hormuz remaining disrupted, US crude oil prices surged 3% on Monday, with US crude futures settling above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022. In early Asian trading on Tuesday, US crude oil prices fluctuated upwards, currently trading around $104 a barrel, up about 1.1% on the day. It initially touched $106.86, a new high since March 9th.
Hargh Island is the core hub of Iran's oil industry and is considered the center of Iran's crude oil exports. Approximately 90% of Iran's crude oil exports must first be loaded onto the island before being transported out through the Strait of Hormuz. The island has a daily loading capacity of about 7 million barrels, making it one of the world's most important oil export facilities.
If Hargh Island is damaged or falls into US control, it will directly cut off most of Iran's crude oil export capacity, severely impacting global oil supplies . The Strait of Hormuz is already practically blocked, and further escalation will exacerbate the energy crisis.
Trump stated that the United States is in discussions with a "new, more rational regime" and claimed that "significant progress" has been made. However, Iran has not yet responded to Trump's latest remarks.
Earlier, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that the 15-point proposal put forward by the United States was "excessive and unreasonable." Iranian leaders have repeatedly denied engaging in direct negotiations with the United States, indicating that significant differences remain between the two sides regarding reaching a peace agreement.
Trump's remarks came as the US government weighed the possibility of sending ground troops to seize Hargh Island. As Iran's fuel hub, U.S. control of the island would significantly weaken Iran's oil export capacity and provide the United States with crucial strategic leverage.
Previous reports indicated that the Pentagon had prepared for ground operations that could last for weeks, including the deployment of Marine Corps and the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. This move signifies a significant increase in the risk of the conflict escalating from air strikes to ground operations .
The war with Iran has entered its fifth week, and the conflict has expanded from initial air strikes to multi-party regional involvement. The Houthi rebels have launched their first missile attack on Israel, while the United States continues to increase its troop presence in the Middle East. Trump is attempting to force Iran to make concessions as quickly as possible, using both diplomatic pressure and extreme military threats as leverage.
The situation remains highly uncertain, and any further action against Hargh Island or the Strait of Hormuz could trigger severe volatility in the global energy market.
If Trump's threats are implemented, they will directly destroy Iran's major energy infrastructure, further tightening global crude oil supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for approximately 20% of global oil transport, has already disrupted over ten million barrels of supply daily due to its long-term closure. If Hargh Island is destroyed or occupied, oil prices could experience another surge.
The market has already reacted to the decline in liquidity and the increase in transaction costs, and investors' risk aversion has increased significantly.
(US crude oil 4-hour chart, source: FX678)
Editor's Summary : Trump's threat to completely destroy Iranian oil wells, power plants, and Hargh Island, demanding Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reach a peace agreement, demonstrates the extremely tough stance the US is taking in negotiations. Hargh Island, as a core hub for Iranian crude oil exports, is undeniably strategically important. With the conflict entering its fifth week, the US is also considering ground troop operations, and the risk of escalation continues to rise. The final outcome will depend on the progress of US-Iran negotiations; if diplomatic efforts fail, the global energy market will face severe shocks.
At 8:50 AM Beijing time, US crude oil futures were trading at $104.16 per barrel.
Trump stated, "The United States is in serious discussions with a new, more rational regime to end our military operations in Iran. While significant progress has been made, if an agreement is not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately reopened, we will end our pleasant stay in Iran by blowing up and completely destroying all their power plants, oil wells, and Hargh Island (which we have not yet touched)."
With the Strait of Hormuz remaining disrupted, US crude oil prices surged 3% on Monday, with US crude futures settling above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022. In early Asian trading on Tuesday, US crude oil prices fluctuated upwards, currently trading around $104 a barrel, up about 1.1% on the day. It initially touched $106.86, a new high since March 9th.
The strategic position and influence of Harge Island
Hargh Island is the core hub of Iran's oil industry and is considered the center of Iran's crude oil exports. Approximately 90% of Iran's crude oil exports must first be loaded onto the island before being transported out through the Strait of Hormuz. The island has a daily loading capacity of about 7 million barrels, making it one of the world's most important oil export facilities.
If Hargh Island is damaged or falls into US control, it will directly cut off most of Iran's crude oil export capacity, severely impacting global oil supplies . The Strait of Hormuz is already practically blocked, and further escalation will exacerbate the energy crisis.
Current Status of US-Iran Negotiations and the 15-Point Proposal
Trump stated that the United States is in discussions with a "new, more rational regime" and claimed that "significant progress" has been made. However, Iran has not yet responded to Trump's latest remarks.
Earlier, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that the 15-point proposal put forward by the United States was "excessive and unreasonable." Iranian leaders have repeatedly denied engaging in direct negotiations with the United States, indicating that significant differences remain between the two sides regarding reaching a peace agreement.
The United States is considering taking Harg Island with ground troops.
Trump's remarks came as the US government weighed the possibility of sending ground troops to seize Hargh Island. As Iran's fuel hub, U.S. control of the island would significantly weaken Iran's oil export capacity and provide the United States with crucial strategic leverage.
Previous reports indicated that the Pentagon had prepared for ground operations that could last for weeks, including the deployment of Marine Corps and the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. This move signifies a significant increase in the risk of the conflict escalating from air strikes to ground operations .
Latest developments in the fifth week of the war
The war with Iran has entered its fifth week, and the conflict has expanded from initial air strikes to multi-party regional involvement. The Houthi rebels have launched their first missile attack on Israel, while the United States continues to increase its troop presence in the Middle East. Trump is attempting to force Iran to make concessions as quickly as possible, using both diplomatic pressure and extreme military threats as leverage.
The situation remains highly uncertain, and any further action against Hargh Island or the Strait of Hormuz could trigger severe volatility in the global energy market.
Potential impact on global energy markets
If Trump's threats are implemented, they will directly destroy Iran's major energy infrastructure, further tightening global crude oil supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for approximately 20% of global oil transport, has already disrupted over ten million barrels of supply daily due to its long-term closure. If Hargh Island is destroyed or occupied, oil prices could experience another surge.
The market has already reacted to the decline in liquidity and the increase in transaction costs, and investors' risk aversion has increased significantly.
(US crude oil 4-hour chart, source: FX678)
Editor's Summary : Trump's threat to completely destroy Iranian oil wells, power plants, and Hargh Island, demanding Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reach a peace agreement, demonstrates the extremely tough stance the US is taking in negotiations. Hargh Island, as a core hub for Iranian crude oil exports, is undeniably strategically important. With the conflict entering its fifth week, the US is also considering ground troop operations, and the risk of escalation continues to rise. The final outcome will depend on the progress of US-Iran negotiations; if diplomatic efforts fail, the global energy market will face severe shocks.
At 8:50 AM Beijing time, US crude oil futures were trading at $104.16 per barrel.
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