US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that Iran must abandon its “nuclear ambitions” through negotiations or face devastating military action.
Speaking to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets and military recruits at the University of Tennessee on Saturday, Hegseth said Tehran would soon have to choose between a deal and US military action.
“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,” he said.
Hegseth accused Tehran of building a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action while pursuing “nuclear ambitions”. He argued that US military strength was essential to compelling adversaries to negotiate.
He also accused Iran of funding Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi militia, saying Washington had sought to deter attacks on US forces and shipping.
US influence in Latin America
Hegseth framed Washington’s approach to Iran as part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to reassert US power, including confronting drug cartels and limiting Iranian, Chinese and Russian influence in Latin America.
He said the US operation in Venezuela would have “generational implications”, describing the country as a strategic partner and highlighting its oil resources.
Washington was seeking to push its rivals out of the Western Hemisphere while strengthening its military presence and partnerships across the Americas, he added.
