UPDATE 1-Hegseth tells Trump Pentagon is prepared on Iran

U.S. Defense ‌Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday the U.S. military will be prepared to carry out ⁠whatever President Donald Trump decides on Iran to ensure Tehran does not pursue nuclear weapons capability. With a large U.S. military force ​gathered in the region, Hegseth was asked by Trump at ‍a cabinet meeting to comment on the situation. "They should not pursue nuclear capabilities.

U.S. Defense ‌Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday the U.S. military will be prepared to carry out ⁠whatever President Donald Trump decides on Iran to ensure Tehran does not pursue nuclear weapons capability. With a large U.S. military force ​gathered in the region, Hegseth was asked by Trump at ‍a cabinet meeting to comment on the situation.

"They should not pursue nuclear capabilities. We will be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects of the ⁠War Department," ‌Hegseth said, ⁠referring to the Trump administration's unofficial renaming of the Defense Department. U.S. officials say ‍Trump is reviewing his options but has not decided whether to ​strike Iran.

U.S.-Iranian tensions soared following a bloody crackdown on protests ⁠across Iran by its clerical authorities in recent weeks. Trump has repeatedly threatened to ⁠intervene if Iran continued to kill protesters, but the countrywide demonstrations over economic privations and political repression have since abated.

He has ⁠said the United States would act if Tehran resumed its nuclear ⁠program after ‌the June airstrikes by Israeli and U.S. forces on key nuclear installations.

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