Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the media while asserting that Iran is "losing big" in the ongoing conflict, even as he reiterated that global oil tankers are heading toward the United States to load high-quality crude.
In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump said,
"The Fake News Media has lost total credibility, not that they had any to begin with. Because of their massive Trump Derangement Syndrome (Sometimes referred to as TDS!), they love saying that Iran is "winning" when, in fact, everyone knows that they are LOSING, and LOSING BIG! Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft apparatus is nonexistent, Radar is dead, their Missile and Drone Factories have been largely obliterated along with the Missiles and Drones themselves and, most importantly, their longtime "Leaders" are no longer with us, praise be to Allah! The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may "bunk" into one of their sea mines which, by the way, all 28 of their mine dropper boats are also lying at the bottom of the sea. We're now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favour to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others. Incredibly, they don't have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves. Very interestingly, however, empty Oil carrying ships from many Nations are all heading to the United States of America to LOAD UP with Oil. Thank you for your attention to this matter!,"
The remarks come shortly after Trump claimed that "massive numbers" of empty oil tankers were already heading to the US to load what he described as the "best and sweetest" crude available globally, highlighting Washington's attempt to position itself as a key energy supplier amid disruptions caused by the conflict.
On the diplomatic front, the United States and Iran continue parallel engagements in Pakistan. A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf held separate meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. However, no direct talks between Washington and Tehran have been officially announced.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high on the ground. Israel has continued its strikes in Lebanon, complicating ceasefire efforts, while Iran has linked progress in talks to a halt in such attacks.
The conflict has already taken a significant human and economic toll, with thousands reported dead across Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and Gulf states. The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Persian Gulf has sent global energy markets into turmoil, pushing oil prices higher and impacting supply chains worldwide.