Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg suggested the U.S. should seize Kharg Island and install a provisional government in Iran during a recent Fox News appearance.
The proposal represents a significant escalation in strategy toward the Persian Gulf, suggesting a direct military and political overhaul of the Iranian state to neutralize perceived threats.
Kellogg, who previously served as National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, said the move would further degrade the Iranian regime. He said that Iran's theocratic government and its missile capabilities pose a continuous danger to regional and international stability [1, 2].
During the appearance on "Jesse Watters Primetime," Kellogg contrasted the diplomatic stances of the two nations. "Iran is not being reasonable, President Trump is," Kellogg said [3].
Kharg Island serves as a critical hub for Iran's oil exports. Seizing the territory would likely disrupt the primary economic lifeline of the Iranian government, a move that aligns with a strategy of maximum pressure.
However, reports on Kellogg's stance toward the current administration's involvement in the region are mixed. While he praised Trump's reasonableness on Fox News, other reports indicate he said to Congress that President Trump should "butt out" of Iran [4].
Separate from the military strategy, reports linked to Kellogg's testimony also mentioned a $10 billion IRS lawsuit involving President Trump [5].
“"Iran is not being reasonable, President Trump is."”
The suggestion to seize Kharg Island indicates a shift from economic sanctions to direct territorial occupation and regime change. By targeting a primary oil export hub, such a strategy aims to collapse the financial foundations of the Iranian state while attempting to replace its theocratic leadership with a provisional administration.
