EXCERPT:
HEGSETH: “The new Iranian regime understood that a deal was far better than the fate that awaited them. This new regime just happened to look at what happened to their predecessors. Their top leadership was systematically eliminated. The previous Iranian supreme leader, dead. The supreme national security council secretary, dead. The supreme leader office adviser, dead. The supreme leader military office chief, dead. The defense minister, no longer with us. The IRGC commander, dead. The armed forces general staff commander, dead. The intelligence minister, dead. The IRGC navy commander, no longer here. The IRGC intel chief, dead. I skipped over a bunch and I could go on and on and on to include the new, so-called new supreme leader, wounded and disfigured. This new regime was out of options and out of time, so they cut a deal.”