Khaberni - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bisent did not rule out the possibility of sending American forces to the Iranian island of Kharg, to seize it as part of ongoing efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz and resume maritime navigation.
In response to a question on "NBC" broadcast, Bisent said: "All options are on the table", emphasizing that Washington is considering multiple options to strengthen its negotiating stance.
The website "Axios" mentioned that U.S. President Donald Trump is prepared to seize Kharg Island to pressure Tehran to open navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The site quoted a senior official saying: "He (Trump) wants the Strait of Hormuz to be open. If it requires controlling Kharg Island to achieve this, he will do it. If it requires a coastal operation, he may do that too. But the final decision has not yet been taken."
Kharg Island holds significant economic importance as about 90% of Iranian oil exports pass through its facilities. Washington aims through the potential control of the island to deprive Tehran of a major economic resource and strengthen Trump's negotiating position.
The report indicates that this scenario may be realized after weakening the Iranian military capabilities in the strait area, a process that could take a month. Units from the U.S. Marine Corps are already being sent to the region, with considerations for increasing the number of forces.
In contrast, the spokesperson for the Energy Committee in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Ismail Husseini, warned on Tuesday that if Iran's enemies attack Kharg, "they will be more miserable than they are in the Strait of Hormuz, and the island will become a graveyard for the aggressors."
