In an interview with The Financial Times (FT), Trump suggested that Washington could capture the strategic island and control the Iranian oil industry “indefinitely.” The President compared the potential operation to the U.S. approach in Venezuela following the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro in January.

While the White House weighs its options, reporting from Tehran suggests that Iranian military leaders are not only prepared for a ground invasion but would “welcome” the opportunity to face U.S. troops on their own soil.

Iranian officials believe that while the U.S. holds air superiority, the sheer number of Iranian forces would give them the upper hand in a ground conflict.

“To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran, but some stupid people back in the US say, ‘Why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people,” Trump told the FT.

The President remained neutral on the timing of such a move but emphasized the ease with which he believes it could be accomplished.

“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” he said. “It would also mean we had to be there [in Kharg Island] for a while.”

When questioned about the defensive capabilities protecting the vital export hub, Trump dismissed the threat.

“I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily,” he claimed.

However, the perspective from inside Iran suggests a much more grueling conflict than the White House anticipates. Reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of Iranian troops and paramilitary forces are currently equipped and standing by.

According to Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall, reporting from Tehran, the Iranian strategy centers on using the country's difficult geography to inflict maximum damage. The goal is to leverage American casualties to turn U.S. public opinion against the presidency.

The Iranian leadership is counting on the fact that this war has not yet been authorized by Congress. They believe the American public cannot tolerate the “extensive loss of lives” that would likely result from a sustained ground campaign.

“If the US and Israel have air superiority, the Iranians think that they have ground superiority once the Americans are here because they have the numbers,” Vall reported.

Tehran’s military planners believe this shift from aerial bombardment to ground combat would provide them with more “leverage” than their current reliance on missile and drone strikes across the region.