On Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made a series of comments about US-Iran relations, regional security and maritime routes on which Tehran and Washington are engaged in a series of constructive and ongoing talks.
Hegseth said discussions with Iran are “positive” and there is some “hope” in the US administration that a deal can be reached in the near future.
Any potential agreement would be crafted to take into account American strategic concerns, he said, and President Donald Trump would seek a deal that is American-centric.
Hegseth also restated Washington’s consistent stance that Iran should never get a nuclear weapon, putting it as a core parameter in any deal.
The Defence Secretary stressed the need to maintain the free flow of international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said any measure that infringes on the waterway would not be tolerated, noting it was a vital energy and trade route.
Hegseth also said the restoration of free and unobstructed passage through the strait continues to be one of the top priorities in the US’s agenda.
During the remarks on bilateral ties, Hegseth spoke of Pakistan as a “sincere friend of America”, indicating that Washington and Islamabad are continuing to engage on bilateral issues, apart from the regional talks.
He ended by being optimistic, though with a tinge of caution, that continued talks might result in a viable deal with Iran, while affirming that “core security issues…such as nuclear non-proliferation and freedom of navigation in international waters” would be “out of the negotiation basket.”
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