WASHINGTON, April 16 (Xinhua)/Flowerbudnews : — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Thursday that if Iran does not accept a deal, the U.S. military will strike Iran’s “infrastructure, power and energy.”
The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue as the White House is “maximizing economic pressure” unless Iranian leaders “choose wisely,” Hegseth said at a Pentagon press briefing.
“In the meantime and for as long as it takes, we will maintain this successful blockade. But if Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power and energy,” he said, calling the blockade “the polite way to go.”
The U.S. military was “maximally postured to restart combat operations” if Iran did not agree to a deal, he threatened.
U.S. troops in the Middle East are “rearming” and “retooling” amid the ceasefire, Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. Central Command, said at the press conference.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is “very close to being over,” while again failing to offer a clear timeline.
The two-week ceasefire is to expire next week.