Hegseth: Iran Must Choose Between a Deal and Facing US Attacks

Istanbul (ANTARA) – US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Saturday (17 October) that Iran must choose between abandoning its nuclear ambitions and reaching an agreement, or facing devastating military action.

“Iran will soon have to make a choice: whether to leave those ambitions at the negotiating table or face the destruction that the United States can inflict and would deliver swiftly if necessary,” Hegseth told Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and prospective military recruits at the University of Tennessee.

He accused Tehran of building up a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action against the country while continuing to pursue its nuclear ambitions. Hegseth said US military strength was needed to compel parties considered adversaries to come to the negotiating table.

Hegseth also said Iran “funds proxy groups such as Hezbollah and another proxy group, the Houthis in Yemen”. He added that Washington had sought to prevent attacks on US troops and ships.

The Pentagon chief described US policy towards Iran as part of a broader effort by US President Donald Trump to reassert American power. This includes a crackdown on drug cartels and efforts to curb the influence of Iran, China and Russia in Latin America.

Referring to Venezuela, Hegseth said US operations in the country would have a “cross-generational impact”. He described Venezuela as a strategic partner and highlighted the country’s oil resources.

He said Washington was working to remove the influence of rival countries from the Western Hemisphere while strengthening the US military presence and partnerships across the Americas.