Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ‌said on Friday that the US blockade on Iran ​is going global, ​adding Tehran had a chance ⁠to make a “good deal” ​with Washington.

“Our blockade ​is growing and going global,” Hegseth told reporters.

“No one sails ​from the Strait ​of Hormuz to anywhere in ‌the ⁠world without the permission of the United States Navy,” he said.

Hegseth went on to criticise Europe, “America and the free world deserve allies who are capable, who are loyal, and who understand that being an ally is not a one-way street. It’s a two-way street,” he said.

“We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do, and might want to start doing less talking and having less fancy conferences in Europe, and get in a boat. This is much more their fight than ours.”

Standing next to top US General Dan Caine, Hegseth said ​the US was “not anxious” for a deal with Iran, and repeated Trump’s previous comments of ​having “all the time in the world.”

“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely … at the negotiating table. All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and ​verifiable ways,” he said.

Caine said the US Central Command continues to maintain a ​strict blockade on all ports in Iran. Thirty-four ships had been turned around as of Friday morning, he ‌said. The US ⁠military would continue to interdict Iranian vessels in the Pacific and Indian oceans, Caine added.

“We’re enforcing the blockade across the board against any ship of any nationality that is transiting to or from an Iranian port or territory,” Caine said.

“We’re closely tracking vessels of ​interest headed towards Iran ​and those moving ⁠away from Iran that were outside the blockade area when this blockade was ordered, and … we’re prepared and postured to intercept them,” he ​said.

The US naval blockade of Iran began on April 13.

Hegseth also ​warned that ⁠any attempts by Iran to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz would be a violation of the ceasefire.

“Transit (of the Strait of Hormuz) is occurring, much more limited than anybody would ⁠like ​to see and with more risk than people would ​like to see, but that’s because Iran is doing irresponsible things with small, fast boats … with weapons on them,” ​Hegseth said.

Hegseth brushed off Pope Leo’s comments criticising the war in Iran, saying the Pope is “going to do his thing” and that was fine.

“We know what our mission is. We know what authority we have. We’re very clear about that. We follow that, the orders of the president,” Hegseth said.