Iran has open window for negotiation table: Pete Hegseth

US war secretary says blockade on Iranian ports has gone global, seizing two dark fleet ships today

United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday said that Iran still had an open window for talks.

“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely at the negotiating table. All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways,” he said in a press briefing at the Pentagon.

"Our blockade is growing and going global."

Hegseth also said the blockade would stay as long as it takes.

"We have all the time in the world, and we're not anxious for a deal."

Hegseth also said that the US blockade of Iranian ports had gone global. He said the US had seized two Iranian dark fleet ships that left Iranian ports.

However, he said that transit through Hormuz is occurring.

Mine laying a violation 

Any additional mine laying carried out by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ongoing ceasefire with the US, he added. 

Transit through the critical waterway "is occurring much more limited than anybody would like to see, and with more risk than people would like to see' due, in part, to Iran's mine-laying efforts, Hegseth said.

"If there are attempts to recklessly and irresponsibly lay more mines, we're going to deal with that. It's a violation of the ceasefire," he told reporters at the Pentagon.

The  war secretary said Iran is using armed small fast boats to both lay mines in the waterway, as well as harassing, and, in some cases, seize commercial vessels attempting to transit. US President Donald Trump has now authorized the military to destroy such vessels, he said.

“Our commanders have clear rules of engagement. If Iran is putting mines in the water or otherwise threatening American commercial shipping or American forces, we will shoot to destroy, no hesitation," he said.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said Iran has attacked five ships in the Strait of Hormuz and has seized two of them.

An additional aircraft carrier will soon join the US blockade on ships coming to or from Iranian ports, as the US seeks to expand the action, Hegseth said.

"Our blockade is growing and going global. America's military is unmatched, projecting power, denying passage to adversaries, and protecting our interests at the time and place of our choosing," he said.

"No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy to the regime in Tehran, the blockade is tightening," added Hegseth.

Iran has long maintained that the US blockade is a violation of the ceasefire that Trump unilaterally extended Tuesday and has demanded that the Trump administration halt the action before it returns to negotiations, which are currently deadlocked.

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This is a developing story.