During a pointed briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that Iran had been left "humiliated" and without options, claiming that Tehran only agreed to a two-week ceasefire after its leadership was decimated and its military might shattered. Hegseth told reporters that the Iranian regime effectively "begged" for the truce as they ran "out of options and out of time," forcing them to the negotiating table in a desperate bid for survival.
The Defence Secretary offered a scathing assessment of the Iranian government, asserting that its leadership had been "systematically eliminated." He maintained that the terms of the ceasefire ensure Tehran will "never, ever possess a nuclear weapon," adding that Washington now "controls their fate." According to Hegseth, a single night of 800 precision strikes during "Operation Epic Fury" on Tuesday razed Iran's industrial base to the ground, leaving the country unable to manufacture missiles, rockets, or drones.
In a particularly provocative claim, Hegseth alleged that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had been "wounded and disfigured" during the recent US-Israeli campaign. While he provided no further evidence, he suggested the leader’s condition was a sign of the regime's broader collapse. He confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is now open for global trade but warned that American forces would remain "hanging around" the region to ensure strict adherence to the ceasefire.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine also emphasised this aggressive approach, stating, “Even if our primary military goals have been accomplished, we must look at the truce as no more than a ‘temporary cessation’ of hostilities.” It was clearly stated that US troops are ready for renewed fighting at any time.
The Pakistan-brokered deal was struck late on Tuesday, just two hours before a deadline set by President Donald Trump. The President had previously warned that "a whole civilisation will die" if a deal was not reached. Despite the cessation of major bombing, the situation remains extremely volatile. An oil refinery on Lavan Island was reportedly struck on Wednesday, and Iranian-linked drone and missile activity has been noted across Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its offensive in Lebanon, stressing that its operations against Hezbollah in Beirut are not covered by the current truce with Tehran.
Also read: US-Iran truce trembles as missiles hit Iran, UAE, Kuwait
Follow us
