US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says Iran faces a choice between abandoning its “nuclear ambitions” and reaching a deal or facing devastating military action, Anadolu reports.
“Iran’s going to have a choice to make real quick about whether they’re going to give those up at the table or face the kind of devastation that America can bring and will bring swiftly if necessary,” Hegseth tells Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets and military recruits at the University of Tennessee.
He accuses Tehran of building a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action while pursuing “nuclear ambitions,” arguing that US military strength is essential to forcing adversaries to negotiate.
Hegseth also claims Iran “funds the proxies in Hezbollah, funds the proxies in the Houthis in Yemen,” adding that Washington seeks to deter attacks on US forces and shipping.
