【Iran Crisis】US Energy Secretary: Cannot Guarantee Oil Prices Will Fall Within Weeks; Military Facilities to Be Targeted Before Straits Control (Continuous Updates)

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, in an ABC interview, responded to whether the war is short-term and whether prices can be guaranteed to fall within a few weeks, stating, “There are no guarantees in war.”

He pointed out, “But I can guarantee that without this military action aimed at weakening the Iranian regime, the situation would be much worse. The Strait of Hormuz is vital to global commerce and energy transportation. We all see how it affects current energy prices. They have been using this threat for 47 years and continuously expanding their arsenal, making the threat more serious. In fact, if they had nuclear weapons, it would soon become very difficult for us to weaken Iran. So, this is a short-term pain necessary for transitioning to a better state.”

He added, “We have conducted extremely detailed and meticulous planning regarding possible scenarios in the Strait of Hormuz and how to respond. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Keane is well known for many achievements, but most importantly, he is an expert in strictly planning for all possible scenarios. So why did Senate Democratic Leader Schumer say these things two weeks after the conflict started, trying to undermine the credibility of the U.S. military? That’s… as a patriotic American, very offensive to me.”

Before the conflict, allies stored 100 million barrels of oil

He stated, “We know there will be brief disruptions in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, some of our allies, including Saudi Arabia (not the only one), had already pre-stored over 100 million barrels of oil in facilities outside the Middle East before this conflict began. This was because of the increasing tensions in the region and the government’s resolve to resolve Iran issues. We have implemented many contingency plans. Of course, the broader Trump agenda is to make the U.S. the world’s leading producer of oil and natural gas, and to continue expanding our capacity. So, this is not only to mitigate current disruptions but also to lead toward a future where the U.S. energy dominance ensures lower energy prices for Americans and allows the U.S. to supply energy to more and more allies worldwide. But we will face disruptions, and indeed, we are currently facing them.”

Regarding calls for other countries to send warships to escort, he said, “All countries depend on products shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. China is at the top of the list, followed by Japan, South Korea, and all these Asian countries that receive energy exports through the Strait. So, these are the countries most directly affected by this event. It makes sense to build a broad international coalition to work together to reopen the strait. But the top priority now is to completely destroy Iran’s ability to project military power in the region and globally.”

He predicted, “I believe this conflict will definitely end within the next few weeks, possibly even sooner, and then we will see supply rebound and prices drop accordingly. But we are very aware of short-term disruptions that will cause U.S. gasoline prices to rise slightly. Today’s prices are still well below the levels during Biden’s administration, when they were begging, bargaining, and bribing Iran to behave better. During Biden’s midterm, we experienced gasoline prices at $5. We hope it won’t reach that level again. But at least, the recent rise in gasoline prices is for a goal that will forever change the geopolitical landscape.”

He emphasized, “The current priority is to destroy their military capabilities, including those military facilities specifically used to threaten the Strait of Hormuz. We need to complete these missions first, and then you will see the strait reopen in the near future.”

$1 and below are daily news updates====

Sanae Takichi Meets Trump Before Visiting the U.S., Trump Requests Naval Escort for the Strait of Hormuz

Trump posted on Truth Social, calling on countries to help maintain security in the Strait of Hormuz, specifically mentioning Japan and others. He said that even if Iran is militarily suppressed, deploying one or two drones, laying mines, or launching missiles would be easy. Iran’s Foreign Minister Alaghazi stated that the Strait of Hormuz is closed only to ships from “enemies.”

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takichi is about to visit the U.S., with a meeting scheduled with Trump on March 19. She will be the first leader to meet with Trump among those requesting naval escorts.

Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Committee Chairman Takashi Kobayashi said Takichi needs to understand her goal first and that this is the most important issue. “Since Trump’s statements often change significantly, I hope Prime Minister Takichi can see Trump’s true intentions clearly first.” He mentioned that while the government does not rule out deploying the Self-Defense Forces, given ongoing conflicts, this must be approached cautiously. “I think the threshold is very high, but the future development of Middle East situations, including Iran, remains uncertain. We will evaluate these factors calmly and take appropriate actions.”

Trump said, “Many countries, especially those affected by Iran’s attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz, will work with the U.S. to send warships to keep the strait open and secure. We have already 100% destroyed Iran’s military capabilities, but no matter how badly they are defeated, it’s still easy for them to send one or two drones, lay mines, or launch short-range missiles along the waterway or within the waters. I hope China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and other countries affected by this artificial restriction will send ships to the area, so the Strait of Hormuz is no longer threatened by a country that has been thoroughly decapitated. Meanwhile, the U.S. will bomb their coastlines heavily and keep sinking Iranian ships. Anyway, we will soon reopen, secure, and free the Strait of Hormuz!”

“The U.S. has already defeated and thoroughly crippled Iran on military, economic, and other levels. But countries that rely on oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz must take responsibility for maintaining the passage’s security, and we will assist—indeed, greatly! The U.S. will coordinate with these countries to ensure everything proceeds quickly, smoothly, and properly. This should be a team effort, and it will come true—uniting the world toward harmony, security, and eternal peace!”

On Saturday, less news was reported. Bloomberg said that after a drone attack and fire on Saturday, the key oil port of Fujeirah in Oman Bay has suspended operations.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Alaghazi stated on MS NOW that “it is obvious that the missile attack on Halek Island on Friday came from two locations inside the UAE.”

The UAE government said it detected nine missiles and 33 drones launched toward it on Saturday, consistent with previous days.

$1 and below are Saturday news====

Weekend Escalation: Trump Strikes Iran’s Kharg Island, Claims Iran Has Been Completely Defeated; Houthi Organization: Yemen Decides to Join the Fight

Trump posted on Truth Social at 6:54 a.m. Hong Kong time, stating, “Just now, under my orders, U.S. Central Command carried out one of the most powerful bombings in Middle Eastern history, completely destroying every military target on Iran’s crown jewel—Kharg Island. Our weapons are unprecedented, the strongest, and most precise in the world. However, out of moral considerations, I chose not to destroy the oil infrastructure on the island. But if Iran or anyone else takes any action to interfere with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”

“In my first term, and now, I have rebuilt our military into the most lethal, powerful, and effective force in the world. Iran has no defense against any target we want to attack—they are helpless! Iran will never have nuclear weapons, nor the capability to threaten the U.S., the Middle East, or the entire world!”

“The Iranian military and all those connected to this terrorist regime should lay down their weapons now to save what remains of their country, even if very little is left!”

Later, Trump posted, “Fake news media refuses to report the glorious achievements of the U.S. military in striking Iran. Iran has been thoroughly defeated. They now only want to negotiate, but I will absolutely not accept such an agreement!”

Related articles:

[Iran Crisis] Iran’s Small Island Handles 90% of Oil Exports; Trump Still Hesitant to Strike

Fars News Agency reports that Houthi senior member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said, “Yemen has decided to join the fight.” He stated, “A decision has been made to fight alongside Iran militarily, and the specific timing will be announced at the appropriate moment. We are in full coordination with Iran.”

Yemen could influence another critical route, the Red Sea.

🎥 Senior Houthi Member: Yemen has decided to enter the war

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti: The decision to stand militarily with Iran has been made, and it will be announced at the right time. We are in full coordination with Iran. pic.twitter.com/bm9QdzQeQl

— Fars News Agency (@FarsNews_Agency) March 13, 2026

Trump: Mojtaba (Khamenei’s son) injured, “alive in some form”; next week, further strikes on Iran

Global leaders held at least five meetings this week. The latest reports say that at the Wednesday G7 online summit, Trump told world leaders that Iran was “about to surrender.” However, within 24 hours, Iran’s new Supreme Leader issued his first public statement, vowing to continue fighting—an apparent misjudgment by Trump.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said Mojtaba (Khamenei’s son) might still be alive but injured, possibly alive in some form. Regarding Mojtaba’s use of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage, Trump said, “They’ve been talking big, so they must take real action. We must wait and see because we are inflicting severe damage on them. We’ve destroyed most of their missiles, many of their drones, and their missile and drone manufacturing zones—more than any since World War II.”

On escorting oil tankers, Trump reiterated, “If necessary, we will do so. We hope everything goes very smoothly. We will wait and see. There are many things… We have already caused serious damage to them. They will need years to rebuild. We will strike them hard in the coming week.”

“Watch what happens in the next few days; this is just the beginning. This is their new strategy,” he said. “Right now, we are focused on destroying their missiles and drones very hard. Progress is going very well; we are far ahead of schedule, far ahead. We don’t even know how much we are leading. We have destroyed nearly 90% of their missiles.”

Trump told G7 leaders he previously claimed Iran was “about to surrender.”

Iran Tensions: At Least 5 Meetings This Week, US and Allies Prepare for Escalation

On Monday, G7 finance ministers discussed releasing strategic oil reserves, but no final agreement was reached. On Tuesday, G7 energy ministers requested the IEA to provide the latest oil stock data and prepare for potential reserve releases. The U.S. suddenly proposed releasing 400 million barrels. On Wednesday, the 32-nation IEA unanimously approved releasing up to 400 million barrels of strategic reserves— the largest in IEA history—more than double the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war level, aiming to offset about 20 million barrels daily lost due to the strait blockade.

That same day, the G7 leaders’ online summit, hosted by French President Macron with Trump and others participating, included a briefing from Trump claiming Iran was “about to surrender.” European leaders demanded ensuring the safety of shipping lanes and maintaining sanctions on Russia.

On Thursday, the EU energy supply coordination meeting assessed the impact of the conflict on Europe’s oil and gas supplies, ensuring EU countries maintain 90 days of strategic reserves.

On Friday, Trump expressed belief that Russian President Putin is helping Iran oppose the U.S. and Israel, suggesting that Russia also sees the U.S. aiding Ukraine. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday, “The Russians say they haven’t shared intelligence with Iran.”

$1 and below are Friday news====

Iran: Khamenei’s Wife Not Dead, Will Attack US Companies’ Middle East Oil Plants; US: KC-135 Crashed, Ford Ship’s Laundry Area Caught Fire

A series of Iran-related reports: (1) US and UK intelligence indicate Iran has laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz; (2) After Khamenei’s son Mojtaba succeeded as Supreme Leader, he announced plans to develop new fronts against the US, vowing revenge; (3) Iran released locations of US-held Middle East oil refineries, which could become targets; (4) Clarification that Khamenei’s wife is alive, and reports of martyrdom were false. Additionally, the U.S. Central Command confirmed a KC-135 tanker crash.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed that a KC-135 tanker crashed; rescue operations are underway. The incident involved two aircraft, one crashing in western Iraq, the other safely landing.

The U.S. Navy’s Central Command / Fifth Fleet announced a fire on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in the ship’s main laundry area. The cause is not related to combat; the fire is fully controlled. The statement said, “The ship’s propulsion system was not damaged, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational,” “Two sailors are receiving medical treatment, their injuries are not life-threatening, and their condition is stable. More information will be provided when available.”

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a notice that three merchant ships were attacked in the Arabian Gulf in the past 24 hours, indicating that maritime interference is expanding beyond the Strait of Hormuz. UK Defense Secretary John Healey said increasing signs suggest Iran may have begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The New York Times quoted U.S. officials that Iran had laid mines in the Strait on Thursday.

Houthi spokesperson: “Decided to enter the war”

Fars News Agency quoted Houthi senior member Mojtaba Raad saying, “Yemen has decided to join the fight.” He added, “A decision has been made to fight alongside Iran militarily, and the specific timing will be announced at the appropriate time. We are in full coordination with Iran.”

Yemen may influence another critical route, the Red Sea.

🔴 Senior Houthi Member: Yemen has decided to enter the war

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti: The decision to stand militarily with Iran has been made, and it will be announced at the right time. We are in full coordination with Iran. pic.twitter.com/bm9QdzQeQl

— Fars News Agency (@FarsNews_Agency) March 13, 2026

Trump: Mojtaba (Khamenei’s son) injured, “alive in some form”; next week, further strikes on Iran

Trump posted a 6-minute video early Monday Hong Kong time, stating that he has already struck hundreds of targets inside Iran, destroying nine ships and naval facilities, and that Khamenei is dead, with three Americans killed. He said, “The fighting continues strongly and will continue until all targets are achieved.” Trump told the Daily Mail that the war could last four weeks.

NBC reported that the goal is to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs, while Israel targets Iran’s political and military leaders. Iran retaliated with missile attacks on U.S. bases in Israel, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, triggering regional chain reactions.

Bloomberg estimates that if the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, Brent crude could surge to $108, as about 1/5 of global oil shipments pass through this waterway. Last Friday, Brent closed at $72.48, with a potential increase of 49%.

President Donald J. Trump provides an update on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/Vte8QpISn

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 1, 2026

Below is the full transcript of Trump’s speech:

“In the past 36 hours, the U.S. and its partners launched Operation Epic Fury, one of the largest, most complex, and most overwhelming military offensives ever seen. No one has seen anything like this.”

First: The results

“We have struck hundreds of targets inside Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities and air defense systems. Just now, we announced the destruction of nine ships and their naval infrastructure. All this happened within minutes.”

Second: The current situation of the regime

“Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s former top leader, is dead. This man’s hands are stained with blood.”