US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Sunday that Washington continues to maintain security over the Strait of Hormuz, successfully overseeing the passage of millions of barrels of oil through the critical maritime corridor despite heightened regional instability, Anadolu reports.
“Project Freedom never stopped, and we have run 125 million barrels of oil through the straits, and Iran could not do anything about it,” Hegseth told CBS News.
He further asserted that no Iranian vessels successfully bypassed the American-led blockade, maintaining that the administration of President Donald Trump possesses “absolute leverage” in current diplomatic discussions by operating from a position of strength.
The defense chief cautioned that US military presence will remain robust to ensure Tehran adheres to the terms of a memorandum of understanding within the upcoming 60-day window. He noted that military planners have already established protocols to ensure nuclear materials are either “down blended, destroyed, or removed.”
According to Hegseth, the current diplomatic framework stipulates that Tehran “will never have a nuclear weapon, won’t seek one, won’t buy one, won’t have one.”
On Saturday, President Trump indicated that a formal agreement with Iran was slated for signature on Sunday, though Tehran has contested this timeline. Sources cited by the Fars News Agency in Tehran indicated that the proposed deal is still “under consideration” and that no final determination has been reached.
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