US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the United States will restart military action and reimpose a blockade against Iran if it fails to meet its commitments under the recently signed agreement. Speaking in Brussels after meeting with NATO defense ministers, Hegseth emphasized the US stance.
Hegseth's Warning to Iran
“The president has pointed out that we will be prepared to recommence if underneath the timeline of these talks, Iran does not do what it says it’s going to do,” Hegseth said. He added, “If Iran doesn’t comply, then we’re more than able to reimpose an ironclad blockade.”
Criticism of NATO Allies
Hegseth criticized NATO for what he perceived as a lack of support regarding the Iran conflict. He remarked, “The United States has defended Europe for generations, and the President said all he said was that our jets would need to take off from bases in Europe or our ships from ports to strike targets in the Middle East, Iranian targets that threaten European interests even more directly than they threaten us. But too many of our allies said no, or tried to drown us in arcane legal debates, or criticized us publicly for doing what they aren’t prepared or able to do themselves. It was shameful. These allies put America’s sons and daughters at risk by denying them predictable access facing an overflight that never should have been in question at all.”
