War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday the United States will keep forces in place around the Strait of Hormuz to enforce a ceasefire with Iran and guarantee shipping lanes remain open following a U.S.-brokered deal.
"We're going to make sure Iran complies with the ceasefire and then ultimately, comes to the table and makes a deal," he told reporters during a Wednesday morning press conference at the Pentagon, airing live on Newsmax and Newsmax2.
"We'll stay put, stay ready, stay vigilant," he added.
Still, Hegseth said, U.S. forces remain prepared to act if needed.
"Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense, prepared to restart at a moment's notice with whatever target package would be needed in order to ensure that Iran complies," he said.
He said the waterway remains open under the agreement.
"What has been agreed to, what's been stated is the strait is open," he said. "Commerce will flow."
Hegseth said recent U.S. military action degraded Iran's defenses and forced it to negotiate.
"They'll never have a nuclear weapon or the capability to get a path to one," he said.
He said Iran is expected to give up its enriched uranium.
"They will either give it to us voluntarily," he said. "We'll get it, we'll take it, we'll take it out."
If Iran does not comply, the United States retains military options, said Hegseth.
"Or if we have to do something else ourselves, like we did Midnight Hammer or something like that, we reserve that opportunity," he said.
Hegseth said the threat of force drove Iran to the table.
"We had a target set, locked, and loaded of infrastructure, bridges, power plants," he said. "We can take it all from you. Your ability to export energy will be taken away."
"That type of threat is what brought them to the place where they effectively said, 'OK, we want to cut this deal,'" he said.
He said the U.S. is monitoring reports of continued Iranian activity following the ceasefire.
"Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations, to know not to shoot," he said.
"We're watching it. We're prepared if necessary, but we hope and believe that it will hold," he added.
Hegseth said any movement of Iranian forces would make them easier to target.
"The more Iran moves forces, the more easily targetable they are for us right now," he said.
He also rejected claims that U.S. actions increased risks to American troops.
"Not a single thing we've done has put an American troop in more of a harm's way," he said.
Hegseth said coordination with regional allies will continue and expressed cautious optimism about Iran's internal trajectory.
"They have been oppressed by the previous regime and they'll have a new opportunity with this regime," he said. "That remains to be seen."
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