Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth departs Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, April 7, 2025. (DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Senior AIrman Madelyn Keech)
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said all U.S. military objectives in Iran had been achieved, signaling what he described as a successful outcome of the conflict.
Hegseth, whom the Trump administration has referred to as “Secretary of War,” spoke as global markets reacted positively to the ceasefire.
The S&P 500, a key index tracking the performance of 500 major U.S. companies, rose 2.7 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 3.5 percent at the open. At the same time, global oil benchmark Brent crude fell 15 percent to around $93 a barrel.
These sharp moves reflected investor optimism that tensions in the Middle East may ease after weeks of conflict.
IRAN ACCUSES US OF BREACH
However, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the United States of violating the two-week ceasefire agreement.
“The deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments — a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again,” Ghalibaf said in a statement on social media.
His remarks came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged Europe to play an “effective” role in ensuring lasting stability and security in the region.
He also called on European nations to pressure the United States and Israel “to adhere to their commitments and counter any violations to the ceasefire agreement,” according to a readout of Pazeshkian’s phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
CALLS FOR BROADER CEASEFIRE
Pezeshkian additionally raised the need for a ceasefire in Lebanon, describing it as a key condition in Iran’s reported 10-point peace plan.
Yet the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sought clarification on the ceasefire terms, stressing the need to ensure Iran’s full commitment to an immediate halt in hostilities.
The UAE’s Foreign Ministry also called for the “complete and unconditional reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route.
In a statement, the ministry stressed the need for “a “comprehensive approach that addresses Iran’s full range of threats” and warned against risks to freedom of navigation in the strait.
The UAE reaffirmed it is not a party to the armed conflict and said it had undertaken intensive diplomatic efforts to prevent its outbreak.
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