"What you're watching in real time is peace through strength, and America first. Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region, to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal, and we certainly hope that's what happens here," US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday evening.
"So when you see jets and you see air defense assets and counter UAS assets, that's because my job as the secretary of defense is to ensure that our people are safe and that we're strong, so that we can set the conditions for a deal," Hegseth added.
"And President Trump's made it clear, it's on the table. The question is whether Iran will take, it all right, so the deal is still on the table, but all options are on the table."
"We believe that Iran, as president has said from the beginning, should not have a nuclear weapon. That position hasn't changed," Hegseth said. "They can give it up peacefully. That position hasn't changed.
"As a result, right now, we've got assets in the region, and we're going to defend them, and we're going to we're going to be strong in the process ... We're strong, we're prepared, we're defensive and present."
