The United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, issued a strong public warning to the Iranian military leadership this Thursday during a press conference at the Pentagon, alongside the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.
The message was direct and unambiguous: "We are watching you. Our capabilities are not the same, ours and yours. Remember: this is not a fair fight."
Hegseth detailed that Washington knows precisely what military assets Iran is moving and where, and warned that while Iran "digs" among bombed and devastated facilities, the United States "is only getting stronger."
"They are unearthing their remaining launchers and missiles without the capacity to replace them. They have no defense industry. They cannot replenish their offensive or defensive capabilities. They only have what they have. You know it, and we know it," stated the official.
He also made it clear about the readiness of U.S. forces: "We are ready and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation, and on your energy industry. We would prefer not to have to do it, but we are ready to act at the order of our president and with just the push of a button."
The secretary also rejected Iran's claim to control the Strait of Hormuz, describing the threats of missiles and drones against commercial ships as "piracy" and "terrorism."
"They like to publicly claim that they control the Strait of Hormuz, but they do not have a navy or a real awareness of maritime dominance. They cannot control anything," he pointed out.
Hegseth emphasized the asymmetry of the ongoing naval blockade: "We are carrying out this blockade with less than 10% of our naval power, and you have 0% of your navy. The math is clear. That's real control."
The total naval blockade against Iranian ports was ordered by President Trump on April 12 through a presidential proclamation and came into effect on April 13. In the first 48 hours, no ships were able to breach it: nine merchant vessels were ordered to turn back and at least eight oil tankers complied without the need for boarding.
The economic impact on Iran is severe: 90% of its economy depends on maritime trade and it faces estimated losses of up to 435 million dollars per day.
In parallel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched Operation Economic Fury, which includes secondary sanctions against foreign banks that process Iranian funds, including Chinese institutions.
This Thursday, the Pentagon also announced the deployment of more than 10,000 additional soldiers to the Middle East, bringing the total to over 60,000 personnel in the region.
Despite the pressure, Hegseth presented Iran with a diplomatic exit: "Iran can choose a prosperous future, a golden bridge, and we hope it will do so for the sake of the Iranian people. But if Iran makes the wrong choice, it will face a blockade and bombs falling on its infrastructure, energy, and power."
The speech comes days after the peace negotiations in Islamabad failed on April 12 after 21 hours of discussions: Washington demanded the complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear program and a 20-year moratorium, while Tehran only agreed to a five-year pause and sought $270 billion in compensation.
The ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, which has been in effect since April 7, will expire on April 22. This Thursday, Pakistan announced a "significant breakthrough" in the negotiations, with Field Marshal Asim Munir traveling to Tehran with a message from Washington.
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