‘Too few soldiers’In a televised meeting at the White House, Trump veered between repeated threats to “obliterate” Iran and claims it was already on the verge of capitulating. Trump also said the United States might take control of Iran’s oil, comparing it to the deal Washington made with Venezuela after toppling Nicolas Maduro. “I don’t think war is the solution to these conditions, but ending it won’t change much for us either,” he said. Iran has targeted Gulf nations it accuses of serving as launchpads for US strikes, including hits on oil and gas sites. Crude prices had fallen since last week, but the wavering messages on talks saw oil prices jump again Thursday.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 26, 2026 20:33 UTC