While the United States officially maintains a dual-track approach toward Tehran, Washington is simultaneously concentrating its largest naval force in years in the Strait of Hormuz and deploying over 200 fighter jets to the Middle East. Operative Information Center-OMM reports that these military maneuvers by the administration of US President Donald Trump coincide with leaked information from an American Petroleum Institute (API) meeting in Washington, suggesting significant energy interests are driving diplomatic and military processes.
According to reports from the closed-door "State of American Energy" summit, industry representatives characterized a potential military intervention in Iran as the "greatest opportunity" for the oil and gas sector. Industry leaders further claimed to have consulted with US President Donald Trump, asserting that he shares their strategic outlook regarding the region's energy potential.
During the meeting, Bob McNally, a consultant at Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House energy official, stated that regime change in Iran would provide substantial strategic gains for the US oil industry and global energy markets. He emphasized that Iran's oil potential promises a faster production increase than that of Venezuela, noting that such a scenario would effectively diminish Moscow's energy influence. Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, echoed these sentiments, describing the opening of Iran's energy sector as one of the most significant opportunities in history.
The influence of corporations such as ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, and Chevron on foreign policy has long been a subject of international debate. The historical appointment of former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as US Secretary of State is frequently cited by analysts as a primary example of the close ties between oil giants and Washington's strategic decision-making. This latest development underscores the complex intersection of global energy security, corporate lobbying, and military strategy in the Middle East, a region where Azerbaijan also maintains a keen interest in ensuring stability and the protection of international energy corridors.
