On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the United States could remain in Iran and "take the oil for itself," drawing a parallel with the U.S. effort to take control of one-fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
While in Ireland on a visit that includes business meetings and attending a golf tournament, he again said that he expects the conflict with Iran to end this year — possibly immediately after the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November.
Speaking at the Irish Open golf tournament, Trump added that gasoline prices would "plummet" as soon as the war with Iran ends.
It should be added
The situation in the Middle East has caused turmoil in oil markets: traders expect prices to rise again on Monday following an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.
Trump said he would agree only to the "right deal" and would not make a "bad" deal, adding that Iran is "constantly calling" for peace talks — a claim Tehran had previously rejected.
However, the U.S. president also raised another option: continuing engagement with Iran. He drew an analogy with the U.S. deal regarding Venezuela, which was announced in August.
"Ultimately, we will leave (Iran), unless we decide to stay and take the oil for ourselves, as in the case of Venezuela," Trump said, adding that U.S. revenues from Venezuela "paid for the cost of the war many times over."