'We Are Watching You': Hegseth Warns Iran That US Will Resume War If Deal Is Rejected

Last Updated:April 16, 2026, 18:02 IST

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warns the US is ready to resume military action against Iran if it rejects a deal.

The United States is prepared to restart military operations against Iran if Tehran walks away from negotiations, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned, delivering a stark ultimatum as a Pakistani-brokered diplomatic effort attempts to bring the two sides back to the table.

“We are watching you," Pete Hegseth said, claiming US intelligence is tracking every military asset Iran is moving- a pointed signal that American forces remain on a hair trigger despite the current ceasefire. The warnings come as a high-level Pakistani delegation, led by the country’s army chief Asim Munir, held talks with Iranian officials about the possibility of a fresh round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The White House expressed optimism about the diplomatic effort, with a spokesperson indicating that future talks were likely to be held in Islamabad.

But Hegseth made clear that diplomacy has a deadline. US forces, he said, are ready to resume combat at any moment, and the United States would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports “for as long as it takes." He went further, declaring that the US Navy now controls traffic through the Strait of Hormuz entirely, asserting that Iran “does not have a navy any more" following weeks of devastating US and Israeli strikes.

Iran has not taken the pressure lying down. Its military has threatened to extend its reach beyond the strait, warning it could block trade in the Red Sea as well as the Gulf and Sea of Oman if the American naval blockade continues- a threat that would send shockwaves through global energy and shipping markets.

The wider regional conflict showed no signs of cooling. Israel continued strikes on Lebanon, killing four paramedics and wounding six others who were conducting an emergency mission in the town of Mayfadoun, near Nabatieh, in the country’s south. With Pakistan shuttling between capitals, Iran threatening to widen its economic stranglehold on global shipping and Pete Hegseth warning Tehran that Washington is watching its every move, the narrow window for a diplomatic resolution is growing smaller by the hour.

News world 'We Are Watching You': Hegseth Warns Iran That US Will Resume War If Deal Is Rejected

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