United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, stated this Thursday (18) that Washington may reestablish the naval blockade against Iran if Tehran fails to comply with the commitments made in the memorandum of understanding signed this week between the two countries.
According to Hegseth, the US agreed to lift the blockade that had restricted the movement of vessels to or from the Iranian coast since April. However, he warned that Washington remains prepared to resume military pressure on the country “if Iran does not do what it says it will do,” he said during comments to reporters, adding that the War Department is “ready to resume” operations if necessary.
The head of the Pentagon reinforced that both the negotiations and any possible US military action will focus on the Iranian nuclear issue. According to him, the objective remains to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
At the same time, Hegseth stated that there are European countries willing to contribute to ensuring navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The secretary highlighted, however, that he expects broader participation from allies, directly mentioning the United Kingdom. “The UK needs to do more, spend more and help more,” he said, mentioning the importance of American access to British military bases and the Diego Garcia installation in the Indian Ocean.
The statements were made in Brussels, where Hegseth also intensified pressure on allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The secretary announced a six-month review of the American military presence in Europe and said the outcome will depend on how quickly European countries assume greater responsibility for their own defense.
Furthermore, he criticized allies who did not authorize the use of bases in their territories for American operations against Iran and reiterated the Trump administration’s plan to transform the alliance into a “NATO 3.0”, with less dependence on US military resources. Despite the strategic review, Washington said it will continue to maintain its commitment to the alliance’s nuclear deterrence.
