Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed on CBS News’s Face The Nation Sunday that the United States has controlled the Strait of Hormuz during the entire Iran war, despite the U.S. still having to negotiate for Iran to re-open the strait.

“You had 45 days of overwhelming combat, which Iran could not manage,” Hegseth said. “Their navy is gone, air force gone, air defenses. It led to a blockade, which was impenetrable for a couple of months. Now you have the underground Project Freedom, which allowed 25 million barrels of oil to transit the strait, to show that we control the strait. And then we did two more days of bombing, because they weren’t really coming to the table. So it’s been military pressure and strength from President Trump that has compelled Iran to this deal, which will be performance-based when it’s signed shortly.”

“Right, but we are not at that deal yet,” said moderator Margaret Brennan.  “We are not even at the memorandum. That’s what we are waiting on being signed today.”

Trump has claimed repeatedly that the U.S. and Iran would sign a Memorandum of Understanding Sunday to pave the way for future talks on Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. The M.O.U. also calls for a 60-day ceasefire and for Iran to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“So, tomorrow you will end the blockade?” Brennan asked.

“Again, it is performance-based, Margaret. So unlike Obama, President Trump is smart about these things. He’s not going to just give it away,” Hegseth said. “So, ultimately the blockade will stay as the strait opens. And then the blockade will open, and then the straits open. And if that takes 30 days to fully mature — but it will start immediately as the president has said.”

Hegseth continued, “By the way, I think your viewers need to remember, Project Freedom never stopped, and we have run 125 million barrels of oil through the straits and Iran couldn’t do anything about it. How many ships from Iran have transited our blockade? Zero. We have controlled the straits this entire time.”

“But you’re going to renegotiate with them to reopen it,” said a quizzical Brennan.

“So we would get back to pre-war shipping?” she asked.

“We’re already doing things I can’t talk about on this program,” Hegseth demurred.

Watch the clip above via CBS News’s Face The Nation.

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