FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES

Trump Warns Iran of Fresh Strikes, Says Deal is 'Fully Negotiated'

By

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US could launch further attacks against Iran, while warning that Tehran must accept a deal that permanently blocks it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Trump made the remarks during a White House event to sign the Secure America Act, which was posted on White House social media.

"We hit them hard yesterday [Tuesday] and we're going to hit them again hard today," Trump said after being asked whether the US would resume its bombing campaign against Iran.

Trump pointed to the reported helicopter incident and suggested it could justify additional military action against Tehran.

Trump said military pressure would continue even as Washington keeps the door open to diplomacy with Tehran.

"We want a deal that's meaningful, we want a deal that works," Trump said, adding that the proposal would prohibit Iran from "ever having a nuclear weapon."

He added negotiators had nearly completed an agreement before talks broke down. "We'll see what happens with the deal. We were really close to the deal but they keep tapping us along," he said, adding that the deal is "fully negotiated."

Trump also said Pakistan's field marshal and prime minister requested US involvement, adding that Washington acted at the "request of Pakistan" as efforts to ease regional tensions continued.

The president added the US has been disrupting Iranian oil shipments. "we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil, nobody knows that. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran, until right now," Trump said.

He added that the US was taking out millions of barrels of oil from Iran.

"We took out the other night 22 ships, late at night with no lights because they don't have any radar... That's why oil's $85 a barrel," Trump said.

Trump said oil prices should retreat once the conflict ends, adding that gasoline prices could return to levels seen before military operations against Iran began.

In energy markets, Brent crude climbed 3.09% to $94.28 per barrel in midday trade, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3.67% to $91.44/bbl amid continued uncertainty surrounding Middle East oil supplies.

Related Articles

Oil & Energy

Kuwait Discusses Pipeline Expansion With Saudi Arabia, UAE as Hormuz Risks Persist

Kuwait is exploring pipeline export options with Saudi Arabia and the UAE to bypass the Strait of Hormuz as disruptions continue to threaten Gulf crude flows, according to multiple media reports on Tuesday.Discussions are underway between Kuwait Petroleum and neighboring Gulf producers about expanding existing pipeline networks to carry Kuwaiti crude, Chief Executive Sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah said at a conference in Washington.No timeline has been set for potential exports through the alternative routes, and Sheikh Nawaf did not indicate how far the talks have progressed, according to the reports.About one-fifth of the Gulf's oil and gas supplies have been affected by the conflict in the Middle East, while uncertainty over future access to the Strait of Hormuz persists despite a US-Iran ceasefire.Since the conflict erupted in late February, Kuwait has kept oil fields operating at minimum levels to meet domestic demand and protect wells, while cutting crude production because all of its energy exports depend on the trait.While Saudi Arabia can move about 70% of its normal crude exports through its Red Sea pipeline network, the UAE is expanding infrastructure to ship oil from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, outside the Strait of Hormuz."When you look at pipelines, they are only as safe as the export facility at the end of it," Sheikh Nawaf said, noting that Iran had previously targeted Saudi and Emirati export assets.In addition to exploring additional overseas oil storage capacity, Kuwait and other Gulf producers are working with the US to strengthen protection of export terminals and pipeline infrastructure.Kuwait Petroleum did not immediately respond to' request for comment.

Oil & Energy

US Oil Update: Crude Settles Lower as Market Weighs Conflicting Middle East Signals

Crude oil futures settled lower in after-hours trading on Tuesday as markets weighed signs of a de-escalation between Iran and Israel against President Trump's comments on a response to the downing of an American military helicopter.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude futures dropped by 2.85% to $88.70 per barrel, while Brent futures were down 2.82% to $91.58/bbl.Trump said on Tuesday that the US will "respond" as he alleged that Iran shot down an Apache helicopter that was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz, stoking fears of a return to clashes with Iran.The two pilots involved in the attack "are safe and uninjured," Trump said in a social media post on Truth Social post, adding, "Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack."The remarks by the US President came hours after he said that a deal to end the Middle East conflict was days away and within reach after he had brokered a halt to hostilities between Israel and Iran, easing tensions that had threatened to derail broader peace efforts.Iranian and Israeli officials said on Monday that the two sides had halted attacks on each other after an appeal from Trump that they immediately stop shooting, according to media reports.Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright reportedly said that commercial vessel traffic and oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz are rising, even as the US and Iran struggle to reach a deal to end the war, which has been ongoing for over three months.Soojin Kim, research analyst at MUFG, said that although the de-escalation improved market sentiment, the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, continuing to disrupt global flows of crude, fuels, and natural gas.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday reaffirmed Tehran's claim over the strategic waterway, warning that Iranian armed forces are on alert against any foreign presence near its territory.Araghchi said the Strait is "not international waters" but is shared between Iran and Oman, adding that its maritime boundaries are "crystal clear" and geographically distant from the US.On the demand front, China's overseas oil purchases fell to about 7.8 million barrels per day in May, the lowest in more than eight years.Saxo Bank analysts said China's crude oil imports fell to an eight-year low last month at 33.1 million tons, or 7.8 million b/d, as refiners increasingly drew on accumulated inventories rather than sourcing additional barrels from abroad.Global oil demand is now expected to fall by 1.1 million b/d in 2026, compared with 2025 levels of 104.0 million b/d, EIA said.The downward revision in the EIA's May forecast follows a 200,000 b/d increase forecast in 2026, and an even steeper shift from February's estimate of a 1.2 million b/d gain.The EIA said it projected demand would recover in 2027 as supply flows normalize, with global consumption forecast to rise by 2.5 million b/d to 105.3 million b/d.

Oil & Energy

Crude Drives US Goods Export Surge in April Amid Hormuz Closure; Prices Top $102/bbl

Crude oil exports accounted for $6.4 billion of the $8.7 billion increase in exports of goods in April, according to the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis report on Tuesday.Fuel oil registered a $1.3 billion increase, and other petroleum products accounted for $1 billion.US crude export prices surged to $102.20 per barrel in April, up from $85.45/bbl in March and $68.88/bbl a year earlier.Export prices have surged as supply disruptions due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have boosted demand for US crude.Before the Iran conflict began on Feb. 28, prices were $62.08/bbl in January and rose to $65.41/bbl in February.Export volumes averaged 5.6 million barrels per day, up from 4 million b/d in March and 3.8 million b/d a year earlier.April's average export volumes marked a significant jump from pre-conflict levels. Exports averaged 3.9 million b/d in January and 4.3 million b/d in February.The US exported 167.2 million barrels of crude in April, valued at $17.1 billion, up from 124.8 million barrels, valued at $10.7 billion, in March and 114.3 million barrels a year ago.On the import side, the US purchased 177.6 million barrels in April, averaging 5.9 million b/d.The import unit price for crude in April was $78.24/bbl, sharply below the export price of $102.20/bbl. Import volumes were down from 6.3 million b/d in March and 6 million b/d a year ago.Canada was the top supplier at 119.9 million barrels, followed by Venezuela at 12.4 million barrels and Saudi Arabia at 10.1 million barrels.