U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran remains in force [1].
The statement follows recent Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint. The confirmation of the truce is intended to prevent an immediate escalation of hostilities while the U.S. monitors Iranian activity [2].
Speaking during a briefing in Washington, Hegseth said the tension followed crossfire that occurred on Monday [3]. He said Iran should act prudently to avoid a breakdown of the current agreement [1].
"Right now the cease-fire certainly holds, but we're going to be watching very, very closely," Hegseth said [4].
Defense officials said that the U.S. will continue to monitor any potential violations of the agreement [2]. Hegseth said that the Pentagon is observing the situation closely before any further decisions are made by President Trump [2].
The Strait of Hormuz has seen increased volatility recently, with the U.S. maintaining a presence to ensure the free flow of commerce [2]. The current diplomatic stance seeks to balance a commitment to the ceasefire, and a readiness to respond to provocations [1].
“"Right now the cease-fire certainly holds, but we're going to be watching very, very closely."”
The U.S. is attempting to maintain a fragile diplomatic window with Iran despite active kinetic exchanges in the Strait of Hormuz. By affirming the ceasefire, the administration is signaling a preference for stability over immediate escalation, while simultaneously keeping the door open for military action should the monitoring phase reveal a systemic breach of the truce.
