War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the United States has imposed an "ironclad blockade" on Iran that is tightening "by the hour," with U.S. naval forces turning back vessels and expanding enforcement worldwide as part of a broader military and economic campaign.
Speaking at a morning press briefing, Hegseth said the blockade, a central component of "Operation Epic Fury," is designed to cut off Iranian shipping and force Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"As part of that effort, the United States has imposed an ironclad blockade that grows more powerful by the day," Hegseth said. "From the Gulf of Oman to the open oceans, our Navy is enforcing this blockade without hesitation or apology."
He said every ship meeting U.S. criteria, including Iranian vessels or ships traveling to and from Iranian ports, has been turned around, while 34 non-Iranian vessels have been allowed to transit as of Friday morning.
"Our blockade is growing and going global," Hegseth said, pointing to the seizure this week of two Iranian "dark fleet" ships in the Indo-Pacific that had departed before the blockade took effect.
Hegseth added that a second U.S. aircraft carrier will join the effort in the coming days, further strengthening enforcement.
"No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy," he said. "The blockade is tightening by the hour. We are in control. Nothing in, nothing out."
Hegseth said the operation reflects a more focused and accelerated approach compared with past U.S. conflicts.
"Operation Epic Fury has delivered decisive military results in just weeks," he said, contrasting it with wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. "Clear mission objectives, and ultimately, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon."
He described the campaign as entering a "new phase," combining sustained military pressure with a diplomatic opening for Tehran.
"Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal, a good deal, a wise deal," Hegseth said.
He emphasized that President Donald Trump is not rushing negotiations.
"President Trump said it again yesterday: we have all the time in the world, and we're not anxious for a deal," Hegseth said. "Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely."
Hegseth also sharply criticized Iran's military, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, describing it as weakened and resorting to irregular tactics.
"The IRGC specifically has been reduced to a gang of pirates with a flag," he said, accusing Iranian forces of targeting commercial vessels and laying mines.
He cited recent incidents involving ships approached and fired upon by small Iranian boats, saying such actions demonstrate a lack of conventional naval capability.
"They're acting like pirates, acting like terrorists," Hegseth said.
Hegseth said Trump has authorized U.S. forces to respond aggressively to threats in the region.
"If Iran is putting mines in the water, or otherwise threatening American commercial shipping or American forces, we will shoot to destroy," he said. "No hesitation."
He framed the blockade as part of a broader strategy to pressure Iran economically, warning that Tehran's financial stability is at risk.
"They can watch their regime's fragile economic state collapse under the unrelenting pressure of American power," Hegseth said.
Hegseth also pointed to what he described as decades of hostility from Iran toward the United States.
"For 47 years, Iran has been at war with America, killing our citizens, our soldiers, and our allies," he said.
He praised Trump's leadership, describing the president's approach as firm and consistent.
"President Trump's fortitude is unshakable, and his mission is crystal clear," Hegseth said.
Hegseth also called on U.S. allies to take on a greater role, particularly those dependent on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
"This should not be America's fight alone," he said. "Europe and Asia have benefited from our protection for decades, but the time for free riding is over."
He added that allies have a direct stake in maintaining open shipping lanes.
"We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do," he said.
Hegseth said the United States is prepared to sustain the campaign indefinitely if necessary.
"A blockade as long as it takes," he said. "The bottom line remains the bottom line – Iran will never get a nuclear bomb."
He closed by emphasizing that U.S. forces remain ready for further action.
"The War Department stands ready for what comes next," Hegseth said. "Locked and loaded."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.