Trump: Venezuela Oil Windfall to Be Replicated in Iran

A "vast fortune" has been collected by the United States from Venezuelan oil, President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, signaling that the same blueprint will soon target Iranian crude. In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated that Venezuelan oil "has begun flowing into our markets" and that Washington will "reap huge returns" from these operations.

Trump had previously declared that "the greatest oil companies in the world" would be heavily involved in this effort. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels, or roughly 17% of the global total.

Applying the Venezuela Model to Iran

At the end of March, Trump expressed his desire to seize Iranian oil using the same Venezuelan scenario. He did not rule out an attempt to take control of Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export hub, through which approximately 90% of the country's exports pass, making it a strategic target for Washington.

These statements come amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28, and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports imposed since April 13.