Hegseth: Iran practicing ‘piracy’ in Strait of Hormuz, US ‘maximally postured’ to restart war

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatens Iran in a Pentagon briefing, accusing it of “piracy” and “terrorism” in the Strait of Hormuz, and saying the US is ready to resume fighting with “more power than ever before” should the current ceasefire end.

Hegseth’s remarks come as efforts are underway to resume direct US-Iran talks, and after US President Donald Trump indicated that the war may be nearing its end. The current two-week ceasefire is due to end on April 22.

Kicking off the briefing, Hegseth says the US is building up its power, while claiming that Iran is unable to reconstitute its own strength. He says the US is “maximally postured to restart combat operations.”

“This is not a fair fight,” he says. He adds that while Iran is “digging out of bombed-out and devastated facilities, we are only getting stronger.”

He continues, “We are reloading with more power than ever before, and… better intelligence than ever before, as you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye.”

Hegseth claims that Iran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key pathway for the global supply of oil, does not amount to control of the waterway. Iran has demanded continued control of the strait in negotiations over an end to the war.

“You can’t control anything,” he says. “To be clear, threatening to shoot missiles and drones at ships, commercial ships that are lawfully transiting international waters, that is not control. That’s piracy. That’s terrorism. The United States Navy controls the traffic going in and out of the strait because we have real assets and real capabilities, and we’re doing this blockade.”

He adds that the US will ensure that “Iran never has a nuclear weapon.”

He says that instead of continued combat, Iran can engage in negotiations with the US and “choose a prosperous future, a golden bridge, and we hope that you do.”