The US Secretary of Defence has reaffirmed that while Washington remains committed to a diplomatic path to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, the American military stands ready to act decisively should negotiations fail.
Speaking on Sunday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described newly initiated indirect talks between US and Iranian diplomats in Oman as a “productive” and “encouraging first step” towards resolving longstanding Western concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Appearing on CBS’s Face the Nation, Hegseth said President Donald Trump’s preference remained a peaceful solution but emphasised the US military’s preparedness.
“We’ve shown we can go far, go deep, and go big,” he said. “We don’t want to take that route, but if it comes to it, we will — to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear bomb.”
The comments follow recent remarks by President Trump, who last week said military action was “absolutely” an option, especially if diplomatic efforts falter.
He indicated that any such campaign would be conducted alongside Israel, saying, “Israel will be very much involved in that, be the leader of that.”
Back in March, Trump warned that “if they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing”—a blunt signal that the US remains open to using force if Iran does not yield on its nuclear development.
Tensions have been simmering since Trump, during his first term, withdrew the US from the 2015 multinational nuclear accord with Iran, which had imposed strict limits on Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
Since then, nuclear watchdogs and Western analysts have repeatedly warned that Iran may now be only weeks away from developing a deliverable nuclear weapon.
Tehran, however, continues to insist that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and denies any plans to build atomic arms.
