After being blamed, awkwardly praising U.S. Defense Secretary's statement that military action against Iran could "go down in history"

According to a report by the U.S. Axios news website on the 24th, U.S. and Israeli officials stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is simultaneously preparing for diplomatic negotiations with Iran and for military escalation. Even if the United States engages in talks with Iran, the U.S. and Israel plan to conduct an additional two to three weeks of military strikes against Iran. Axios cited a White House official as saying that Trump instructed Secretary of Defense Hegseth on that day to maintain military pressure on Iran. Shortly afterward, Hegseth told reporters at the White House, “We negotiate with bombs.” The report also quoted a Trump adviser as saying, “Trump is reaching out to negotiate with one hand while clenched in a fist, ready to strike at any moment.” Just the day before, after being “blamed to his face” by Trump for being the “first to propose launching a military operation against Iran,” Hegseth also claimed on the 24th that U.S. airstrikes against Iran “will go down in history,” asserting that no modern military force “has ever been defeated at the outset,” and attributing this to having a president like Trump. The report indicated that the White House has conveyed messages to Iran “showing that Trump is serious about negotiations,” and mentioned that Vice President Vance might participate in the negotiations. It noted that “U.S. presidential envoy Whitkov recommended Vance because of the importance of his position, and because Iranians believe he is not hawkish.” (Xinhua News Agency)