"Never in history, Iran's modern military been so rapidly obliterated": US Secy of War
Washington DC, March 25
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said President Donald Trump has made it clear that Washington will not allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.
Hegseth, while speaking at the Swearing-In Ceremony for the Secretary of Homeland Security, said that it was the first time in history that Iran's military had been so obliterated.
"Never in history has a modern military, Iran had a modern military, been so rapidly and historically obliterated, defeated, from day one with overwhelming firepower. You have a choice, as we loiter over the top of Tehran, about your future. The President has made it clear that you will not have a nuclear weapon. The war department agrees, our job is to ensure that. We are keeping our hand on that throttle as long and as hard as is necessary to ensure that the interests of the United States of America are achieved on that battlefield. He has been very clear with us about what we need to accomplish, creating the conditions for them never to have a nuclear capability, and that is exactly what we are doing in a historic fashion," he said.
Meanwhile, President Trump said that if his administration had not ended the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tehran would have had a nuclear weapon.
"If I didn't end the horrible Barack Hussein Obama Iran nuclear deal in my first administration, they would have had a nuclear weapon 3 or 4 years ago. They would have used it. We obliterated their nuclear potential," he said.
JCPOA was an agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council).
On those who are involved in the Iran negotiations from the US administration, Trump said, "JD (Vance) is involved. Marco is involved. Jared Kushner is involved. Steve Witkoff is involved, and I am involved."
US President Donald Trump said that the US has won the war, adding that Iran's navy and air force have been completely decimated.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The language used here is quite aggressive. "Obliterated" and "loiter over the top of Tehran" sounds more like a threat than a policy statement. This kind of rhetoric only escalates tensions. We've seen enough war.
From an Indian strategic perspective, a nuclear Iran is a serious concern. But the unilateral tearing up of the JCPOA was a mistake. Multilateral agreements with verification are the way forward, not just brute force. The world needs stability, not more volatility.
The claim that Iran would have used a nuclear weapon 3-4 years ago seems like a massive exaggeration for political points. This kind of simplification is dangerous. The situation is complex and requires nuanced handling, not slogans.
India has good relations with both the US and Iran. We buy oil from Iran and defense equipment from the US. This puts us in a delicate position. Our foreign policy must navigate this carefully to protect our national interests. Jai Hind.
The "Secretary of War" title itself sounds archaic and bellicose. The world has moved on from such overtly militaristic posturing. Focus should be on ensuring Iran complies with non-proliferation norms through sustained diplomatic pressure and incentives, not just threats.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.