U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran on Wednesday that it will face consequences for backing Yemen’s Houthis, even as the two countries ready for a fourth round of indirect nuclear talks in Rome this weekend.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Wednesday that Iran will face consequences for backing Yemen’s Houthi movement, even as Washington and Tehran restart indirect nuclear talks.

The two sides, working through Oman, have already held three rounds of negotiations aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while easing U.S. sanctions. A fourth session is set for Saturday in Rome.

“Message to IRAN: We see your lethal support for the Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing,” Hegseth wrote on X, adding that Iran “will pay the consequence at a time and place of our choosing.” He later reposted a March statement from President Donald Trump reiterating that Iran would be held responsible for any Houthi attacks.

Tehran maintains the Houthis act independently. The Yemeni group, which controls the country’s north, has targeted Red Sea shipping in what it calls support for the Palestinians. Since March, U.S. forces have struck more than 1,000 Houthi targets.

To bolster its regional posture, the Pentagon has deployed six B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia, keeps two aircraft carriers in Middle Eastern waters, and has shifted air-defense assets from Asia into the area.

While Washington and Tehran say they prefer a diplomatic solution, major differences remain after more than two decades of nuclear tensions. Trump told Time magazine earlier this month that he expects a deal with Iran but again warned that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.

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