The US has sufficient naval forces to maintain the maritime blockade of Iran indefinitely, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday, according to Reuters.
According to him, American ships can be rotated and replaced as needed in the region, allowing Washington to continue the blockade without set deadlines.
"The US Navy can maintain such a blockade indefinitely, as we will rotate ships there and back, as we have done in the past and will continue to do," Hegseth told reporters.
The minister's statement indicates that the US military leadership considers the long-term application of the maritime blockade as a tool of pressure on Iran. According to Reuters, this concerns maintaining economic pressure on Tehran against the backdrop of negotiations to cease the conflict, which have so far not led to an agreement.
Hegseth made the statement in Panama while addressing the crew of the USS Gridley missile destroyer, which previously conducted combat duty in the Middle East.
Recently, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington has established full control over the Strait of Hormuz. He also referred to the American maritime blockade against Iran as a "steel wall" and stated that Iran is unable to withstand it.
