Summary
- Donald Trump says Iran wants a deal to end the war but the US will not agree yet because the terms are “not good enough.”
- The US claims it has “totally demolished” Iran’s key oil export hub at Kharg Island.
- Washington has warned citizens to leave Baghdad after a missile strike near the US embassy.
NAIROBI, Kenya- US President Donald Trump has said Iran is seeking a deal to end the ongoing conflict but insisted that the United States will not agree to negotiations unless the terms improve.
Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Trump claimed the US had already carried out major strikes on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub in the Persian Gulf.
“We’ve totally demolished it,” Trump said, adding that the US might strike the facility again. “We may hit it a few more times just for fun.”
Kharg Island handles a large portion of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it one of the most strategically important energy facilities in the region.
US Issues Evacuation Warning in Iraq
The comments come as tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate.
The United States Embassy in Baghdad warned American citizens in Iraq to leave the country immediately after a missile strike hit the embassy compound on Saturday.
Washington has also ordered non-emergency government staff to depart from Oman amid growing regional security concerns.
US officials have also confirmed the identities of six soldiers who were killed in a refuelling aircraft crash in Iraq earlier in the week.
Israel–Iran Strikes Continue Across the Region
Meanwhile, overnight exchanges of missile and drone attacks between Israel and Iran have continued.
Air defence systems across several Gulf states—including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar—reported intercepting incoming drones and missiles.
At the same time, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have intensified as the military targets sites linked to Hezbollah.
One strike earlier this week destroyed a home and shop where eight members of a family—including three children aged five, nine and 14—had gathered to break the Ramadan fast, according to local residents.
The Israeli military said it had targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, claiming operatives were present at the site, although neighbours and relatives disputed that account.
Trump Calls for Global Naval Presence in Hormuz
Amid the rising tensions, Trump has renewed calls for international support to secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz—a critical global shipping route for oil.
In a post on his social platform Truth Social, Trump urged China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK to send naval forces to protect the shipping corridor from potential Iranian threats.
The UK Ministry of Defence said it was currently discussing “a range of options” with international partners to ensure maritime security in the region.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, urging all parties to protect global energy supply routes and maintain stability.
The spokesperson did not confirm whether China would deploy naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz.
