Veteran Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime hawk on U.S. foreign policy, has drawn international scrutiny for comments suggesting that the ongoing U.S.–Israel military campaign against Iran could yield significant economic gains for the United States.
Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, Graham said that once the Iranian regime is toppled, the United States would reshape the Middle East and “make a tonne of money,” comments interpreted by critics as signalling economic motives tied to oil and regional influence.
Graham linked the conflict to control over global energy resources, noting that Iran and Venezuela together hold about 31 percent of the world’s oil reserves and saying that a U.S. partnership with those reserves would be “China’s nightmare” and “a good investment.”
The senator also reiterated strong support for intensifying military action, warning that U.S. and Israeli strikes would escalate in the coming weeks and asserting that no nation would threaten American interests in the Strait of Hormuz again once Iran’s government falls.
Iran’s government condemned the remarks, with an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman saying Washington’s actions aim to “partition our country to take illegal possession of our oil riches.”
The conflict, which began with U.S.–Israeli attacks late last month, has already pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel and triggered retaliatory strikes by Iranian forces on U.S. positions in the region, contributing to global market volatility and rising geopolitical tensions.
Graham’s stance reflects a broader divide within U.S. politics over the legality, objectives and consequences of the war. While the Trump administration defends the campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from posing future threats, critics both domestically and internationally argue that it risks escalating violence and appears driven by strategic control of energy resources rather than clear security imperatives.