Pentagon Chief Hegseth Warns US Ready to Resume Iran Strikes if Nuclear Deal Fails

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning on Saturday that Washington remains fully prepared to resume military strikes against Iran should ongoing diplomatic negotiations fail to produce an agreement, even as negotiators from both sides work to close significant gaps preventing a deal.

the Pentagon chief declared while speaking in Singapore, adding that American military readiness has not diminished.

he added, signalling that the US military posture remains on high alert regardless of the diplomatic track currently underway.

Hegseth made the remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s foremost gathering of defence ministers, military chiefs, and senior diplomats, where he also pushed back against suggestions that Washington’s engagement in the Iran conflict had diminished its focus on the Asia-Pacific region.

he said, underlining the administration’s confidence in its capacity to sustain multiple simultaneous military commitments.

On the diplomatic front, Hegseth described President Donald Trump as patient in his pursuit of a lasting resolution, noting that the president’s primary objective is to guarantee that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. Trump is seeking a deal he himself has described as a great one — one that permanently removes the nuclear threat while offering Tehran a path out of the conflict.

On Friday, Trump announced he would convene a high-level meeting in a secure White House facility to make a final determination on a proposal that would extend the early-April ceasefire by 60 days, granting negotiators additional time to work toward a permanent end to the conflict.

The war, jointly launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, has inflicted a severe human toll — killing thousands of people, predominantly in Iran and Lebanon — while also triggering significant global economic consequences. Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit corridors, has driven up international energy prices and sent shockwaves through commodity markets worldwide.