Secretary of War Pete Hegseth made clear the U.S. is holding firm as tensions with Iran escalate, signaling that negotiations remain on the table — but only on Washington’s terms.
“President Trump’s fortitude is unshakable, and his mission is crystal clear,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that the administration is not feeling pressured to strike an agreement.
According to Hegseth, Donald Trump has consistently conveyed both publicly and privately that the U.S. has “all the time in the world” and is “not anxious for a deal.”
Don’t miss the stories that matter.
Get Sean’s breaking news alerts — free, direct to your inbox.
The message to Tehran: the window is open, but it won’t stay that way forever.
“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely,” Hegseth said. “All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways.”
If not, he warned, the consequences will intensify.
“Or instead they can watch the regime’s fragile economic state collapse under the unrelenting pressure of American power.”
A U.S.-backed blockade and tightening economic measures are squeezing Iran’s economy, with officials signaling that enforcement will only increase if talks stall.
Hegseth framed the situation as a clear-cut decision for Iran’s leadership.
“The choice is theirs,” he said. “But with this blockade, the clock is not on their side.”
Watch the clip below:
NOW: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the U.S. is tightening pressure on Iran — warning the regime can either abandon nuclear ambitions or face “unrelenting” economic pressure.
He adds the blockade will last “as long as it takes,” saying the clock is “not on their side.” pic.twitter.com/pgQzUP3m64
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 24, 2026
More over at The New York Post:
Iran has ‘open window’ to negotiate, but ‘clock is not on their side,’ Pete Hegseth says https://t.co/tecti1ywqq pic.twitter.com/1PI4K9EEox
— New York Post (@nypost) April 24, 2026
