US President Donald Trump on Monday expressed concern over rising oil prices in the wake of intensifying conflict in West Asia, urging global stakeholders to act to keep prices under control.
“Everyone, keep oil prices down, I’m watching! You’re playing into the hands of the enemy, don’t do it,” Trump posted in all caps on his social media platform, Truth Social. He followed up with another post directed at the US department of energy, calling on the agency to “drill, baby, drill,” adding, “I mean now.”
Trump’s remarks came as the war between Israel and Iran continued on Monday.
The Israeli military said Iran launched a barrage of missile attacks on Israel on Monday.
Israel also attacked six Iranian airports in western, eastern and central Iran, according to Reuters.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described the operation as “strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government oppression in the heart of Tehran.” An AFP journalist reported hearing loud blasts in the northern part of the Iranian capital.
Targets included the infamous Evin prison, located in north Tehran and known for housing political prisoners, dissidents and foreign detainees, according to Katz.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reiterated the alliance’s stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, declaring, “Iran must not develop nuclear weapons.”
Speaking ahead of a two-day NATO summit in The Hague, Rutte said, “Allies have repeatedly urged Iran to meet its obligations under the non-proliferation treaty.”
Amid fears of a broader fallout, several foreign energy giants have begun withdrawing personnel from the region.
British oil major BP, French energy firm Total, and Italy’s ENI were among those who temporarily evacuated foreign staff from southern Iraq, according to the state-owned Basra Oil Company.
The company clarified that oil production operations remained unaffected, although the evacuations were a direct response to the “security situation” in the area.
China on Monday warned of the global economic repercussions of the conflict. Beijing urged the international community to take greater action to prevent the “spillover of war.”
At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump remained open to diplomacy with Iran but called on the Iranian people to consider toppling their government if it continues to avoid negotiations.
“If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful diplomatic solution, which the president is still interested and engaging in, by the way, why shouldn’t the Iranian people take away the power of this incredibly violent regime that has been suppressing them for decades?” she said in an interview with Fox News.
In Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for immediate access to Iran’s nuclear sites. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi demanded the return of inspectors in order “to account for” Iran’s uranium stockpiles, including “400 kilograms enriched to 60 percent.”
Germany also weighed in on the recent US military actions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said there was “no reason to criticise” the United States for its strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Speaking at the Federation of German Industries, Merz said, “Yes, it is not without risk. But leaving things as they were was not an option either.”