Hegseth says US is ‘locked and loaded’ to finish job of destroying Iran energy grid

US defense secretary said Iran’s energy infrastructure is ‘not destroyed yet’ at presser where he also lambasted the media

Iran’s energy infrastructure is “not destroyed yet” and the US is “locked and loaded” to finish the job, Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, said on Thursday as he called many of the press corps gathered the moral equivalent of the Pharisees who conspired to destroy Jesus Christ.

Hegseth’s comments from the Pentagon podium came as a naval blockade of Iranian ports began this week and he called on Tehran to accept a nuclear deal or face consequences for its remaining infrastructure, power generation and energy industry.