Pentagon chief says US blockade on Iran going global

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday the American blockade on Iran is "growing and going global," declaring that the U.S. Navy now controls all maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement marks a sharp escalation in U.S. pressure on Tehran and signals that Washington is using control of a critical global shipping chokepoint as leverage in potential diplomatic negotiations.

"Our blockade is growing and going global," Hegseth told reporters, according to The Korea Times. He added that no vessel can transit the Strait of Hormuz to any destination worldwide without explicit U.S. Navy authorization.

Hegseth said U.S. naval forces have already turned 34 ships around from the strait — a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and a vital corridor for global shipping.

"No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy," Hegseth said, underscoring the scope of the enforcement operation.

The defense secretary also indicated a diplomatic dimension to the blockade, saying Tehran still has an opportunity to negotiate a "good deal" with Washington.

The Korea Times reported Hegseth's remarks as Washington continues to escalate its naval pressure campaign against Tehran.