India, April 29 -- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at critics of the Iran war during a congressional hearing, calling them "reckless, feckless and defeatist" as he defended Donald Trump's strategy and took aim at lawmakers questioning the conflict.

Hegseth praised Trump as the "best negotiator in the world" before facing questions from members of Congress. Among the sharpest critics was Representative Adam Smith, who challenged claims that Iran had conceded to key US demands.

Smith pointed out that Tehran had publicly denied such assertions and argued that previous administrations had prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons without resorting to war. He also raised concerns about the current trajectory, saying that the...