Lindsey Graham has described the conflict in the Middle East as “a good investment”
The US will control almost a third of the world’s oil and make record profits if it succeeds in toppling the Iranian government, hawkish Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News on Sunday.
Graham made the comments as global oil prices surged past $100 per barrel, which US President Donald Trump dismissed as “a very small price to pay” for the US-Israeli war against Iran, which was launched on February 28.
Graham described the cost of the attacks as the “best money ever spent,” arguing that the purpose is to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons – which Iran has denied that it intends to do, insisting that its nuclear program is peaceful.
“When this regime goes down, we’re going to have a new Middle East, we are going to make a ton of money. Nobody will threaten the Strait of Hormuz again,” Graham said, adding that the US will install a “friendly” government in Tehran.
“Venezuela and Iran have 31% of the world’s oil reserves. We’re going to have a partnership with 31% of the known reserves. This is China’s nightmare. This is a good investment.”
Washington has also been seeking to control Venezuela’s oil sector after US commandos captured President Nicolas Maduro in early January. On Saturday, Trump formally recognized acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, who has signaled the intention to cooperate with the US.
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US‑Israeli attacks and has struck several tankers attempting to transit the crucial shipping route, leading to further disruptions in global energy flows. The Iranian military has also launched retaliatory strikes against American bases in the Gulf states.
Tehran has denounced the war as unprovoked aggression and vowed not to bow to Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender.”