Trump signals post-Iran move on Cuba: ‘Just a question of time’

Washington: US President Donald Trump signalled on Thursday that he intends to launch an unspecified initiative regarding Cuba once the military campaign against Iran is concluded, heightening concerns that the Caribbean nation could be the next target for U.S. intervention.

Speaking at a White House reception, the president indicated that a shift in focus toward Havana is imminent. "We want to fix, finish this one first, but that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba," Trump said.

The president specifically lauded Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a son of Cuban immigrants and a long-time proponent of hardline policies toward the island's communist government. "You've been doing a fantastic job on a place called Cuba," Trump told Rubio during the event.

The remarks come as Cuba grapples with a debilitating energy blockade imposed by Washington. Fuel reserves have plummeted following the U.S. apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose administration served as Cuba’s primary oil supplier.

The island has not successfully imported a single shipment of oil since Jan. 9. The resulting shortage has paralysed domestic infrastructure, forcing commercial airlines to slash flight schedules and pushing the nation’s long-standing economic crisis to a breaking point.

In Havana, officials and citizens alike have expressed alarm that Trump may be telegraphing a military or regime-change operation, particularly following the high-profile strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28. Both Trump and Rubio have consistently advocated for the removal of the current Cuban government.

With inputs from AFP