Energy Secretary says military option remains if Iran blocks Strait of Hormuz

Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters at a Cameron, Louisiana groundbreaking that diplomatic talks with Iran are underway but that coercive options remain if maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is blocked.

"If Iran continues to hold the world economy hostage, the United States military will force the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but that's not trivial to do," Wright said, adding that diplomatic resolution would be preferable. He said the United States has "done the early steps on that," but characterized a negotiated outcome as the better path.

Asked whether it is clear who is "in charge" in Iran, Wright said the regime is "under great stress" and that the country's nominal leader "has not been seen or spoken" publicly since the start of the conflict. He said internal factionalism raises the prospect of a change in Iran's leadership, which he described as potentially beneficial for the region and U.S. interests.

The reporter referenced recent attacks on facilities linked to Qatar Energy and asked about allied gas purchases; Wright tied those incidents to global energy market disruptions and said traffic through the Strait could resume "as soon as we can, but certainly sometime this summer at latest," while noting uncertainty and military risks.

Wright's remarks were offered as commentary during a media interview and did not announce specific military deployments or new policy directives.