US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth threatened on Saturday to use military force against Iran if no settlement is reached regarding its nuclear program, affirming that the administration of US President Donald Trump seeks to push Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Hegseth, speaking to students of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of Tennessee, stated that Iran has a choice between reaching a settlement through negotiations or facing the destruction the United States can inflict rapidly if necessary, noting that US military operations have significantly limited Iran's missile capabilities.
Enhancing Defensive Capabilities
Hegseth announced that the US administration intends to enhance the capabilities of the armed forces, rebuild them, and expand the defense industrial base, as part of what he described as re-establishing US military deterrence in various regions of the world. He clarified that the administration's strategy focuses on three core principles: restoring what he called "warrior spirit," rebuilding the army, and enhancing deterrence.
Hegseth pointed to President Trump's commitment to a defense budget reaching $1.5 trillion, considering it a long-term investment in the armed forces. He noted that spending includes the development of aircraft, submarines, and advanced military systems, alongside improving military salaries, healthcare, and housing and living conditions for service members and their families.
Regional and International Policies
Regarding US military policy in the Western Hemisphere, Hegseth spoke of Washington's efforts to strengthen the security of its southern borders and combat drug trafficking networks in Central and South America, pointing to cooperation with partner countries to confront drug cartels and the continued deployment of US forces along the border.
He called on US allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to bear greater responsibility for defending Europe, developing their military capabilities and defense industries, considering that military partnerships do not achieve their goals unless based on actual defensive capabilities. In the Indo-Pacific region, he noted that Washington is monitoring what he described as "Chinese military expansion," affirming efforts to enhance US readiness and deterrence in the region.
Potential Escalation
On the 15th of the current month, the American CNN network revealed that the US military has prepared plans to launch additional strikes against targets in Iran, which may include using the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, known as the "Mother of All Bombs," to target energy facilities and nuclear sites, should US President Donald Trump decide to resume military operations.
Trump had announced on the 14th of the same month that Iranians are in a state of anticipation, stating: "We will teach them a harsh lesson; our patience with them has run out," emphasizing that Iran will not possess a nuclear weapon and that energy prices will drop sharply once the war ends.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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