Washington, D.C., June 26, 2025 — U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a press conference today, praising the recent American strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as a resounding success, directly countering statements from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had downplayed the damage.
“Why not celebrate this? It was a historically successful strike, and we should celebrate it as Americans,” Hegseth declared during the briefing at the Pentagon.
Khamenei had earlier insisted that the nuclear facilities suffered “limited” damage, but Hegseth rejected that claim, citing international intelligence and allied sources.
According to Hegseth:
Israeli atomic agency sources reported that Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities were rendered inoperable.
The UN nuclear watchdog’s leadership and CIA analysts allegedly concluded the Iranian program suffered “significant” and “severe” damage.
Hegseth also strongly criticized the media’s portrayal of the operation:
“It’s irresponsible,” he said, accusing various media outlets of “distorting facts” to make the operation appear unsuccessful.
He emphasized the complexity of the mission and praised U.S. forces for executing it with “high-level professionalism.”
The strike, which has heightened tensions across the Middle East, comes amid growing fears of a broader escalation between the U.S. and Iran. However, Hegseth’s tone was markedly confident and assertive, presenting the attack as a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
