The guns may have fallen silent, but the threat of war has not disappeared. Just hours after the United States and Iran signed a historic peace Memorandum of Understanding, Washington delivered a stark reminder that the agreement would be enforced under the shadow of American military power. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that the Pentagon remains prepared to resume military operations if Tehran fails to honour the commitments made under the newly signed agreement. According to Hegseth, the deal is not built on trust but on verification, with Washington making it clear that any violation by Iran could trigger a renewed military response. The warning comes at a time when Iran continues to emphasise its strategic leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass. In response, the United States has signalled that it could reimpose an “ironclad blockade” against Iran if Tehran does not comply with the agreement.