STORY: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday (April 8) that the Strait of Hormuz is open and the U.S. military would be "hanging around" in the Middle East to ensure Iran complies with the ceasefire.

"We're not going anywhere. We're going to make sure Iran complies with the ceasefire, and that ultimately comes to the table and makes a deal," he said during a Wednesday joint briefing with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.

The remarks came a day after President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink of a threatened civilization-ending assault on Iran on Tuesday (April 7) night, two hours before a deadline he had set for Tehran to open the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran, which demonstrated its ability to cut off Gulf energy supplies through its grip on the strait, has also claimed victory and says it is entering the talks without trust in U.S. negotiators.

Hegseth, however,portrayed Iran as militarily defeated and without any option but to strike a deal. Hegseth and Caine spoke about the destruction of Iran's defense industry, its navy and its missile capabilities.

Hegseth also said the U.S. military would monitor the country's enriched uranium stockpile.

"On the uranium, we're watching it. We know what they have, and they will give it up, and we'll get it. We'll take it if we have to," Hegseth told reporters.

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Hegseth says Strait of Hormuz is open, US military will ensure Iran complies with ceasefire

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, AND U.S. CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL DAN CAINE, REGARDING DEVELOPMENTS WITH IRAN DURING PENTAGON BRIEFING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES (APRIL 8, 2026) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Access all)

1. U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, AND U.S. CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL DAN CAINE, ARRIVING FOR BRIEFING

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"Yeah, we'll be hanging around. We're not going anywhere. We're going to make sure Iran complies with the ceasefire, and that ultimately comes to the table and makes a deal. So we'll stay put, stay ready, stay vigilant as the Chairman laid out. Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense, prepared to restart at a moment's notice with whatever target package would be needed in order to ensure that Iran complies. As far as the Strait, you saw the initial agreement that was struck, which was Iran's letting ships go through. So that will be happening. They will be sailing."

3. GENERAL VIEW OF BRIEFING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"It's time for the rest of the world to step up and ensure that [referring to the Strait of Hormuz] stays open after President Trump and the War Department brought Iran to the place where they're voluntarily opening it right now, as was announced last night."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"It's always been non-negotiable that they won't have nuclear capabilities. And so right now, it's buried and we're watching it. We know exactly what they have, and they know that, and they will either give it to us - which the President has laid out - they'll give it to us voluntarily, we'll get it - we'll take it. We'll take it out. Or if we have to do something else ourselves, like we did with Midnight Hammer, or something like that, we reserve that opportunity."

6. GENERAL VIEW OF BRIEFING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"As far as the new regime, you heard the list that I read. It's a new group of people who have seen the full capability of the United States military and has a new calculus about what it means to negotiate with us. Hence, why they came to the table, wanting a ceasefire and the shooting to stop, so this new regime - the regime has been changed, has a different interaction with the U.S."

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"What we know is that Iran is going to say a lot of things. A lot of people are going to say a lot of things, claim a lot of things. What has been agreed to, what's been stated, is the Strait is open. Our military's watching, I'm sure their military's watching, but commerce will flow."

9. GENERAL VIEW OF BRIEFING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations to know not to shoot, not to shoot any longer, one way attacks or missiles, because this takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold. We're watching it. We're prepared, if necessary, but we hope and believe it will hold."

11. GENERAL VIEW OF BRIEFING

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"Iran ultimately understood their ability, their future to produce, to generate power, to fuel their terrorist regime was in our hands. Was in President Trump's hands. That's why they came to the table. He ultimately said, 'we can take it all from you. Your ability to export energy will be taken away, and the United States military has the ability to strike those things with impunity.' That type of threat is what brought them to the place where they effectively said 'Hey, ok, we want to cut this deal.;"

13. GENERAL VIEW OF BRIEFING

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL DAN CAINE,, SAYING:

"U.S. Centcom will continue to monitor that situation, they will continue to have a series of response options and, if need be, will come to the Secretary and to the President for guidance and be prepared to do the things they're ordered to do so against valid military targets, in accordance with the normal procedures that we have."

15. GENERAL VIEW OF BRIEFING

16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING:

"Listen, i would love to see the Iranian people take advantage of this opportunity. They had been oppressed by the previous regime and they'll have a new opportunity with this regime. That remains to be seen. That was not our objective in this effort, but they're brave people, horrible things have been done to them by the previous regime. Ten of thousands targeted and killed and assassinated in a way the government never should, and we wish them the best." / HEGSETH AND CAINE LEAVE