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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth threatened to drop bombs on Iran's energy infrastructure if the Islamic Republic "chooses poorly" following threats of potentially sinking American ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
"This blockade, which the chairman will detail this morning, is the polite way that this can go," Hegseth said during a press conference Thursday (April 16) morning via the New York Post. "Your energy is not moving and will not move. And we can do this all day, but it's not destroyed yet. Your energy industry is not destroyed yet.
"You like to say publicly, Iran, that you control the Strait of Hormuz, but you don't have a navy or real domain awareness. You can't control anything, to be clear," he added. "If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure."
Mohsen Rezaee, the former commander in chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, mocked U.S. President Donald Trump on state TV Wednesday (April 15), accusing the president was trying to "police" the waterway before claiming Tehran's missiles could take out American vessels and wildly claiming a U.S. ground invasion would be "great" as it would give the regime the opportunity to make billions in hostage situations.
“Is this really your job? Is this the job of a powerful army like the US?” Rezaee said while dressed in military uniform about Trump via Agence France-Presse. “These ships of yours will be sunk by our first missiles and have created a great danger for the US military. They can definitely be exposed to our missiles and we can destroy them.”
Rezaee, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, also denied claims made by Trump that Tehran's navy was "completely obliterated" and asked “Why does the United States not dare to cross the Strait of Hormuz?” asserting Iranian forces wouldn't leave the strait unless "rights" are fully secured and vowed that the regime was setting terms, not the U.S.
“Based on past negotiations, agreements must be drafted more carefully, with a stronger focus on economic issues,” he said.
“Unlike the US, which fears prolonged war, Iran is fully prepared and experienced in long-term war.
“Unlike previous talks where the other side set the terms, Iran is now setting the preconditions.”
Trump had previously announced a two-week ceasefire agreement hinging on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a vital waterway for trade along the Persian Gulf responsible for an estimated 20% of the world's oil supply traveling through and has been blockaded by Iran in retaliation of the war, leading to a spike in gas prices. Iran agreed to reopen the Strait under the 10-point ceasefire plan, with the American government described as "workable," before Tehran officials claimed they plan to charge $2 million to pass through, which they said would be used to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the U.S. and Israel during 'Operation Epic Fury' and later closed the waterway in response to Israel's attack on Lebanon.
“There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait — They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!” Trump said in response to the report via the New York Post.