U.S. Defense Secretary on Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: "This Is North Korea's Strategy"

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asserted the legitimacy of the war with Iran on April 29 (local time), stating regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions, "This is North Korea's strategy."

Secretary Hegseth appeared at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee and responded to a question from Democratic ranking member Adam Smith (Washington), saying, "Iran's nuclear ambitions persist."

Representative Smith pointed out to Secretary Hegseth that the claim that Iran's nuclear weapons were an "imminent threat" when the war with Iran began on February 28 this year was inconsistent. This was because the Donald Trump administration had announced in June of last year that, following U.S. strikes, Iran's nuclear facilities had been completely destroyed.

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In response, Secretary Hegseth stated, "The nuclear facilities were bombed and completely destroyed," but also pointed out, "However, their ambitions for nuclear weapons have continued, and they are building conventional defense systems."

He continued, "This is North Korea's strategy. You know this well," explaining, "The North Korean strategy was to utilize conventional missiles to prevent anyone from challenging them, thereby buying time to slowly move toward (nuclear) weapons."

Secretary Hegseth added that if Iran possessed nuclear weapons, it would certainly use them, stressing, "North Korea is the lesson."

He further emphasized, "Everyone thought North Korea should not have nuclear weapons," and "During the Clinton administration, North Korea acquired a large number of ballistic missiles, which it used as a shield to threaten the region (around the Korean Peninsula) and the world."

He added, "North Korea then said, 'We will have nuclear weapons, and you can't do anything about it.'"

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