Trump claims ‘regime change’ achieved in Iran war, predicts deal ‘soon’

Trump also threatened on Monday to destroy Kharg Island, Iran’s oil wells and power plants if it does not agree soon to a deal to end the war.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social network that the US is in “serious discussions” with “a more reasonable regime” in Tehran.

“Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business’, we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinisation plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched’,” Trump said.

The war has inflicted havoc on the global economy, with fuel shortages across much of Asia, stock markets in turmoil, and oil prices soaring – the main US benchmark rising past US$100 a barrel and Brent close to US$117.