On Tuesday, March 10th, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning to Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei during a briefing at the Pentagon. He emphasized that if Mojtaba could heed President Trump’s advice and publicly announce the abandonment of pursuing nuclear weapons, it would be a “wise move”.
“Iran’s new leader, if he can heed the advice of our president by not pursuing nuclear weapons and taking a stance on this issue, that would be a wise move,” said Hegseth.
According to a report by CNN, when asked about rumors of Mojtaba Khamenei being injured in attacks targeting Iran, Hegseth declined to comment.
Currently, the “Operation Epic Fury” led by the US-Israel coalition has entered its 11th day. Hegseth predicted that Tuesday would be the “most intense day” of the war so far, with a large number of fighter jets and bombers being deployed to continue systematically destroying Iran’s remaining military facilities. According to the data from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, Iran’s missile launch volume has decreased by over 86% since the beginning of the conflict, with the US effectively gaining full control over Iranian airspace.
Despite diplomatic efforts underway, President Trump holds a negative attitude towards Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession, calling the appointment a “big mistake”. Hegseth emphasized that the US’s goal is very clear: to permanently eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat and thoroughly destroy its terrorism infrastructure.
Amid this conflict reshaping the Middle East landscape, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group of the US Navy remains stationed off the coast of Oman in a highly vigilant state, ensuring maximum strategic pressure on the new Iranian regime.