US ready to restart attacks on Iran if deal falls through–Hegseth
Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said America is ready to restart strikes on Iran if negotiators fail to reach a deal.
We have the “ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” he said on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. “Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, so we’re in a very good place,” he added.
The day before, President Donald Trump said he would hold a meeting to make a “final determination” on the proposal, which would extend April’s truce for another 60 days.
The meeting, held in the situation room, lasted for two hours, a White House official said, but it is not yet clear whether Trump made a decision.
Trump has been open about two major conditions–that Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon” and will open the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important waterways for trade, without tolls.
Reuters reported that a “senior Iranian source” had said an agreement was close but not fully approved. They reportedly said the deal does not include any nuclear-related issues.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on state TV that Tehran would open the Straight of Hormuz only after America lifts its blockade on Iranian ships.
This is a developing story – more to follow.
