US Can Maintain Iran Naval Blockade Indefinitely, Says Pentagon

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated during congressional defense budget hearings that the U.S. Navy maintains the logistical capacity to sustain a naval blockade on Iranian ports indefinitely. According to statements reviewed from defense committee proceedings, the Pentagon estimates that ongoing maritime pressure has already cost Iran approximately $4.8 billion in economic losses.

The blockade operation, which Washington describes as an evolving international effort involving partner nations, aims to exert long-term economic friction against Tehran. During the Capitol Hill hearings, the defense chief asserted that American maritime forces can continuously rotate ships and crews to preserve an unyielding presence without a defined expiration date.

“Indefinitely, the U.S. Navy can maintain a blockade of this type,” Hegseth told lawmakers, characterizing the deployment as a formidable maritime barrier around the region.

Logistical Sustainability and the Naval Posture

Addressing congressional inquiries regarding fleet strain, Defense Secretary Hegseth rejected reports concerning severe hardships aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. While acknowledging that current operational deployments involve extended missions with fewer port calls than standard rotations, he maintained that crews receive comprehensive support.

Hegseth stressed that no other global naval force possesses the sustained power-projection capabilities required to enforce an open-ended maritime quarantine of this scale.

“We have the capacity, the willingness, and the patience,” Hegseth said during the defense policy review, pointing to what he termed a growing international coalition contributing assets to the regional security architecture.

Diplomatic Leverage and Contingency Planning

The naval embargo operates in parallel with broader diplomatic efforts.

“If diplomacy fails, we are ready to strike,” Hegseth warned committee members, outlining the administration’s dual-track strategy of severe economic isolation backed by immediate military readiness.