Washington, April 16 -- US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has issued a stern warning to Iranian leadership, stating that the blockade of Iranian ports and sustained economic pressure will persist unless Iran "chooses wisely" a deal for the "betterment" of their people and the world.

He further warned that if "Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure and power and energy."

The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which entered its third day on Thursday, has already led to multiple merchant vessels being turned away, with US forces claiming full control over maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports. The blockade is designed to isolate the Iranian economy by severing its primary mar...