AP reported April 8 (local time) that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Heggses declared victory in the war against Iran.
Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Heggses said U.S. forces delivered a “decisive victory” in military operations against Iran. He said a defeated Iran had requested a cease-fire and that its military had been “virtually destroyed.” He added that Iran’s missile program was “functionally eliminated” and that its facilities “lie in ruins.”
Heggses said the United States employed less than 10% of its total combat power to repel Iran and called the outcome “an opportunity for real peace.” He said Iran would soon turn over its stockpile of enriched uranium to the United States and that the Defense Department had “done its duty” over the past several months.
The day before, President Donald Trump warned, “Today, an entire civilization will be completely wiped out,” and threatened a maximum attack if end-of-war negotiations did not conclude by 8 p.m. on the 7th (9 a.m. KST).
Around 6:30 p.m., roughly 90 minutes before the negotiation deadline, Pakistan proposed a two-week cease-fire. Both sides accepted, producing a dramatic pause in hostilities. Heggses emphasized that a condition of the truce is Iran’s immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
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