Trump says US could stay in Iran and keep oil, like Venezuela deal

President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that the United States could maintain a presence in Iran while retaining control over the country's oil reserves, drawing an analogy to the US' move to seize a fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. During a trip to Ireland for meetings and a golf tournament, Trump reiterated his expectation that the Iran war would conclude this year, potentially following the midterm elections in November.

Addressing a crowd at the Irish Open golf championship, Trump speculated that gasoline prices would plummet dramatically once the Iran conflict ended. Turbulence in the Middle East has caused oil markets to fluctuate, with traders anticipating a rise in prices following an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Trump emphasized that he would only negotiate a fair deal and would not accept unfavorable terms, stating that Iran had repeatedly called for peace talks, a claim Tehran has previously dismissed.

Additionally, Trump proposed an alternative approach: continued engagement with Iran. The president drew a parallel between his potential decision in Iran and the US agreement reached in Venezuela in August, stating that they would ultimately withdraw from Iran unless they choose to stay and retain the oil, similar to Venezuela's arrangement, which has reportedly provided the US with substantial financial resources to fund the war multiple times over.