Trump Stays Patient on Iran Deal as Hegseth Warns Military Option Remains Ready
Yahoo News UK reported Saturday that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told a major security forum any Iran deal would be a “great one,” even as President Donald Trump left a two-hour White House situation room meeting without reaching a final decision.
Hegseth Delivers Trump’s Message in Singapore
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said he had spoken with Trump before taking the stage. He told delegates Trump was being deliberate and careful, determined to ensure any agreement definitively blocks Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Hegseth added that American forces are fully prepared to resume strikes if ordered, and that weapons stockpiles are sufficient to carry out any mission. He made the implicit threat explicit, saying Iran could “deal with” the US military if it refused a satisfactory agreement.
Ceasefire Under Strain After Seven Weeks
The remarks came as the fragile, seven-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran showed visible cracks. US Central Command said Kuwait intercepted Iranian missiles on Wednesday night, which American officials labelled an “egregious ceasefire violation.” Iran countered that it had struck a US base in an unnamed Gulf state, framing the launch as retaliation for earlier American strikes. The competing claims left the precise sequence of events unclear, deepening mutual suspicion on both sides.
Background: Talks That Have Yet to Produce a Deal
Washington officials said Thursday that the two countries had reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire. Tehran quickly pushed back, saying nothing had been finalised. Trump had entered Friday’s session saying he sought a “final determination,” but a senior administration official confirmed the meeting ended without one. Trump subsequently posted on social media that Iran must commit never to develop a nuclear weapon, and that the Strait of Hormuz must reopen and all sea mines be destroyed. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, responded on X that his country places no trust in words alone and that concessions come through pressure, not diplomacy.
Markets Watch Hormuz as Energy Prices Stay Elevated
The Strait of Hormuz remains closed to international shipping, sustaining pressure on global energy markets. UK households are already facing higher energy bills tied partly to the conflict’s impact on oil supply. Any ceasefire extension that reopens the waterway could ease prices, but Friday’s inconclusive meeting suggests that outcome remains uncertain for now.
