Washington DC [US], March 2 (ANI): US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday criticised the Islamist regime of Iran, accusing it of waging a 'savage, one-sided war against America', which he said the Trump administration will finish.

Addressing a press conference at the White House, Hegseth amplified US President Donald Trump's remark, 'now is wartime,' and lauded Operation Epic Fury, stating that it aims to destroy Iranian offensive missiles, security infrastructure, and ensure the country will 'never have nuclear weapons.'

'The mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser-focused. Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their Navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons. We're hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically. With every passing day, our capabilities get stronger and Iran's get weaker. We set the terms of this war from start to finish. Our ambitions are not utopian. They are realistic... President Trump has been clear- now is wartime...' Hegseth said.

The War Secretary said that the Iranian regime's propagation of prophetic Islamist delusions, targeting global shipping lanes, and developing an arsenal of ballistic missiles as a shield for what he described as their 'nuclear blackmail ambitions' are no longer tolerable risks.

'Crazy regimes like Iran, hell-bent on prophetic Islamist delusions, cannot have nuclear weapons. Many have said it, but it takes guts to actually enforce it, and our president has guts. Iran's stubborn and self-evident nuclear pursuits, their targeting of global shipping lanes, and their swelling arsenal of ballistic missiles and killer drones were no longer, are no longer tolerable risks. Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions... Iran had a conventional gun to our head as they tried to lie their way to a nuclear bomb,' he said.

He further criticised the Barack Obama administration for signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (an agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear program in return for sanctions relief and other provisions) and said that the Trump administration will 'finally draw the line after 47 years of Iranian belligerence.'

'It almost worked under President Obama and his terrible deal, but not under this president. Turns out the regime that chanted 'death to America and death to Israel' was gifted death from America and death from Israel. This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it...' Hegseth said.

'We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. Their war on Americans has become our retribution against their Ayatollah. It took the 47th president, a fighter who always puts America first, to finally draw the line after 47 years of Iranian belligerence... If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation, and we will kill you,' he added.

Moreover, he accused Iran of 'indiscriminately launching missiles and drones on civilian targets of their neighbours,' calling them 'cowardly terrorist tactics.' He said that the Iranian regime has developed nothing but proxies and nuclear factories.

Noting the alleged buried nuclear ambitions of Iran, he underlined US's attempts to strike a deal with the nation, which he said the Iranian regime rejected. He said Iran continued stalling and buying time to restart their nuclear ambitions, adding that their goal was to 'hold the US hostage and strike its forces.'

'Today, in their desperation, the enemy is unmasked as Iranian missiles and drones rain down indiscriminately on the hotels, airports, apartments, and other civilian targets of their neighbours. Cowardly terrorist tactics from a regime that for decades has trafficked in cowardly terrorist tactics bring death and destruction to this day. The Iranian leadership has built nothing except proxies, missiles and drones and deeply buried nuclear factories and facilities. Peaceful nuclear ambitions do not need to be buried underneath mountains. Last June, Operation Midnight Hammer obliterated their nuclear program to rubble. Afterwards, we told them plainly, that's it, now make a deal. They arrogantly refused. We said, rebuild it, and we'll stop you again, this time far worse. President Trump, Secretary Rubio... they bent over backwards for real diplomacy, offering pathway after pathway to peace. They tried over and over and over again, earnest attempts at peace. The former regime had every chance to make a peaceful and sensible deal. But Tehran was not negotiating. They were stalling. Buying time to reload their missile stockpiles and restart their nuclear ambitions. Their goal, hold us hostage, threatening to strike our forces. President Trump doesn't play those games...,' he said.

Further talking about the casualties in the war, he said that 'war is hell and always will be,' while paying tribute to the four American lives claimed in the war. He said that the war will be finished on the terms of Trump's America First conditions.

'As the President warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties. War is hell and always will be. A grateful nation honours the four Americans we have lost thus far and those injured. The absolute best of America. May we prosecute the remainder of this operation in a manner that honours them. No apologies, no hesitation. Epic Fury for them and the thousands of Americans before them, taken too soon by Iranian radicals... This is the generational turning point America has waited for since 1979... We will finish this on America First conditions of President Trump's choosing, nobody else's, as it should be...,' he added. (ANI)