The Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says diplomatic efforts continue, but armed forces are prepared if negotiations fail
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated on Sunday that the United States remains hopeful for a diplomatic resolution aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. However, he warned that American armed forces are fully prepared to carry out military action if negotiations do not advance.
Speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation, Hegseth referred to the initial indirect contacts between American and Iranian diplomats — which began Saturday in Oman — as “productive” and described the talks as “a positive step,” while stressing that the military option remains under consideration.
“We hope it won’t be necessary, but if needed, we will act to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb,” Hegseth said. He noted that the United States has already demonstrated its ability to “go far, go deep, and operate on a large scale.”
President Donald Trump also addressed the issue last Wednesday, stating that a joint military operation with Israel is “absolutely” possible if the negotiations in Muscat fail. “Israel will obviously be very involved; they’ll take the lead,” he told reporters.
Trump had made a similar warning in March, declaring, “If there’s no deal, there will be bombings.”
The President withdrew the United States from the multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018, during his first term. That deal aimed to limit Tehran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for relief from international sanctions.
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