US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has stated that Washington does not intend to pursue a policy of nation-building in Iran, emphasizing that the primary objective remains security-related issues.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, the Pentagon chief made these remarks during a briefing at the Department of Defense. Hegseth clarified that the United States is focusing on limited, strategic goals rather than long-term political restructuring. "We are not going to turn this into some kind of nation-building project," he noted, adding that the administration's actions are directed toward specific security targets.
During the briefing, Hegseth also addressed the internal situation in Iran, alleging that the Iranian government has been responsible for the deaths of approximately 45,000 of its own citizens. He characterized this as a grave human rights issue that the international community must consider. The Secretary of Defense underscored that the top priorities for the U.S. remain preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and ensuring overall regional stability.
This policy reflects the broader strategic framework of the administration under US President Donald Trump, which prioritizes national interest and deterrence over extended foreign interventions. Historically, the U.S. approach toward Iran has fluctuated between diplomatic engagement and intense economic sanctions. By explicitly ruling out nation-building, the current leadership in Washington signals a shift toward a more pragmatic, security-centric doctrine in the Middle East, aimed at neutralizing perceived threats without committing to the complex task of domestic governance in foreign states.
