Hegseth says Iran has choice between deal or ‘devastation’

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that Iran faces a choice between abandoning its “nuclear ambitions” and reaching a deal or facing devastating military action, Anadolu reports. “Iran’s going to have a choice to make real quick about whether they’re going to give those up at the table or face the kind of devastation that America can bring and will bring swiftly if necessary,” Hegseth told Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets and military recruits at the University of Tennessee. He accused Tehran of building a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action while pursuing “nuclear ambitions,” arguing that US military strength was essential to forcing adversaries to negotiate. READ: Iran says renewed talks with US require ‘credible guarantees’ against […]
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About this article
- Length
- 122 words · 1 min read
- Published
- October 17, 2026
- Byline
- EditorMehdi
- Source
- Middle East Monitor