**Iran Rejects President Trump’s Claim of Kharg Island Oil Terminal Attack**
*Dubai, United Arab Emirates – September 2, 2026* – An Iranian official dismissed as “laughable” a claim made by former U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran’s main oil terminal on Kharg Island had been destroyed by massive explosions. The claim was based on an artificial‑intelligence‑generated video posted by Trump on his Truth Social platform on August 30, 2026.
The video, which showed a simulated explosion at the Kharg oil terminal, was examined by Reuters and determined to have most likely been created using AI technology. No independent verification of an actual attack on the island has been presented.
Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state‑run National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), told reporters that the video was false and that “conditions in Kharg are calm and appropriate.” He added that oil production and other operations on the island continued as usual, with workers repairing damage from earlier attacks and carrying out modernization work, according to the semi‑official Iranian news outlet Nournews.
The United States White House and the Department of Defense did not respond to requests for comment outside normal business hours.
Kharg Island is a critical component of Iran’s energy infrastructure, handling roughly 90 percent of the country’s oil exports before the conflict that began on February 28, 2026 with U.S. and Israeli strikes. An attack on the facility could have significant implications for Iran’s oil shipments and global energy markets.
The dispute arose shortly after the United States and Iran resumed direct military hostilities for the first time since July 2026. Earlier in the week, the United States conducted a strike on rocket launchers located on Iran’s Larak Island, about 410 miles east of Kharg. Iranian media reported that Iran responded by attacking two U.S. bases in Jordan. Iran also claimed to have launched a drone strike on the Al Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates on August 31, a claim the UAE’s Defense Ministry has denied.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking to state media, said Tehran does not seek war but would “respond strongly” if the country were attacked, adding that Iran would not remain silent in the face of aggression.
The episode follows a period of relative calm in the region, during which the Trump administration intensified economic pressure on Iran through sanctions targeting Iranian entities and individuals, while indicating a reduced likelihood of immediate large‑scale military action.
No further evidence has emerged to substantiate Trump’s claim that the Kharg oil terminal was “blown to smithereens.”
Article and image source: iranherald.com
