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ConflictIran races to fortify Kharg Island oil terminal amid U.S. threats
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Iran is accelerating infrastructure and safety upgrades at its main oil export terminal on Kharg Island, which handles approximately 90% of the country's oil exports. The move comes amid persistent threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has publicly suggested bombing or seizing the island. Iran's Oil Terminals Company is enhancing fire detection, equipment reliability, and operational readiness to ensure continuous exports. Despite recent signals of de-escalation, Trump shared AI-generated images on Truth Social depicting a strike on Kharg. Maritime intelligence reports show increased dark tanker activity near the island, with 24 tankers in the waiting area as of Sunday, indicating ongoing efforts to evade detection and the U.S. blockade east of the Strait of Hormuz.
Source report
Iran is moving to accelerate development and infrastructure projects at its main oil export terminal on Kharg Island, as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to issue intermittent threats to bomb or seize the location.
According to a Tuesday report by bne IntelliNews citing Iran’s Shana News Agency, the Islamic Republic is speeding up the completion of projects at Kharg Island, which handles approximately 90% of all Iranian oil exports.
“These projects aim to enhance safety, increase equipment reliability, boost operational readiness and ensure the sustainable continuity of the country’s oil exports,” Abbas Assadrouz, head of the Iranian Oil Terminals Co. (IOTC), was quoted as saying.
Safety Upgrades Amid Ongoing Threats
Iran is seeking to upgrade safety and fire detection systems at the oil terminal and its crude oil storage tanks. The move comes amid continued warnings from the U.S. Administration that a failure in negotiations could lead to extensive bombings and an attack on Kharg Island.
Despite recent signals of de-escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions, President Trump shared a series of AI-generated images on his Truth Social account on Monday. One image depicted a “strike on Kharg,” showing American fighter jets bombing the island.
Dark Tanker Activity at Kharg Island
Kharg Island remains Iran’s key conduit for oil exports, with operations conducted in “dark mode” to avoid detection and evade the U.S. blockade east of the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade was reinstated two weeks ago when hostilities resumed.
Maritime intelligence firm Windward reported that as many as 21 dark tankers were positioned around Kharg Island as of Saturday, just before the most recent pause in attacks. By Sunday, the number had risen to 24 dark tankers in the waiting area, up from 21 the previous day. Three new arrivals included:
- A tanker of approximately 320 meters
- A pair of tankers measuring approximately 226 and 211 meters
These observations were based on SAR imagery analyzed by Windward.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
Source
OilPrice.com Daily News UpdateWestern
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Iran Races to Fortify Kharg Island Oil Terminal Amid U.S. Threats