US President Donald Trump stated that he wants to "take Iran's oil" and suggested that American forces could seize the island of Kharg, the center of Iranian oil exports.

"Honestly, I would most like to take Iran's oil, but some stupid people in the US say: why are you doing this? But those are stupid people," Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times.

Trump signaled that seizing the island is a possible option. "Maybe we'll seize Kharg, maybe we won't. We have many options," he said, adding that this would involve a long-term American military presence.

When asked about Iranian defense forces on the island, Trump expressed confidence that "they have no defense whatsoever." "We could very easily seize it," the president declared.

Kharg Island is located approximately 500 kilometers northwest of the Strait of Hormuz and houses Iran's largest oil terminal, through which Tehran exports approximately 90 percent of its oil. In mid-March, US forces conducted a large operation on Kharg, hitting over 90 Iranian military targets.