The United States is prepared to restart military operations against Iran if Tehran walks away from negotiations, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned, delivering a stark ultimatum as a Pakistani-brokered diplomatic effort attempts to bring the two sides back to the table.
“We are watching you," Pete Hegseth said, claiming US intelligence is tracking every military asset Iran is moving- a pointed signal that American forces remain on a hair trigger despite the current ceasefire.
The warning comes as a high-level Pakistani delegation, led by army chief Asim Munir, held talks with Iranian officials about the possibility of a fresh round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The White House expressed optimism about the diplomatic effort, with a spokesperson indicating that future talks were likely to be held in Islamabad.
Pete Hegseth’s message to Tehran was, “The US is reloading with more power than before. The energy industry is not destroyed yet. US blockade is shutting down exports. I hope you choose a deal which is within your grasp."
Pete Hegseth alsp made it clear that diplomacy has a deadline. US forces, he said, are ready to resume combat at any moment, and the United States would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports “for as long as it takes." He went further, declaring that the US Navy now controls traffic through the Strait of Hormuz entirely, asserting that Iran “does not have a navy any more" following weeks of devastating US and Israeli strikes.
Iran has not taken the pressure lying down. Its military has threatened to extend its reach beyond the strait, warning it could block trade in the Red Sea as well as the Gulf and Sea of Oman if the American naval blockade continues- a threat that would send shockwaves through global energy and shipping markets.
