jordan pulse -

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that Iran faces a choice between abandoning its "nuclear ambitions" and reaching an agreement, or facing devastating military action that the United States could execute quickly if necessary.
Hegseth added, during a speech delivered to students in Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs and military recruits at the University of Tennessee, that Tehran will soon be forced to choose between abandoning those ambitions through negotiations or facing "the destruction that the United States can inflict, and will inflict quickly if required."
Hegseth accused Iran of building a large arsenal of conventional missiles aimed at deterring any military action against it, alongside its pursuit of nuclear ambitions, considering that US military power is necessary to drive adversaries to negotiate.
He stated that Iran funds its allies in Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen, adding that Washington has sought to deter attacks targeting US forces and ships.
The US Secretary of Defense framed the policy toward Iran within US President Donald Trump's efforts to reassert American influence, including confronting drug cartels and curbing the influence of Iran, China, and Russia in Latin America.
Referring to Venezuela, Hegseth said that the US operation there will have "generations-long repercussions," describing the country as a strategic partner and highlighting its oil resources.
He added that Washington seeks to keep its competitors away from the Western Hemisphere, parallel to strengthening its military presence and partnerships across the Americas.