Trump halts 'Project Freedom' in Strait of Hormuz to allow time for Iran deal

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - DUBAI — President Donald Trump said on Tuesday evening that he is pausing the US military’s “Project Freedom” operation to open the Strait of Hormuz to allow time for a deal to end the war, but that the blockade of Iranian ports would continue.

Trump said “great progress” being made toward a “complete and final agreement with the representatives of Iran” and the operation in Hormuz will be paused for “a short period” to see if an agreement with Tehran can be finalized.

Announcing the decision in a social media post, Trump said the move was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”

The White House did not give furthe r detail on the progress in negotiations that have largely stalled though a ceasefire that took hold nearly a month ago is holding.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US is pursuing “a policy of maximum pressure” and “expects Iran to submit to their unilateral demands”, which is “impossible” for Tehran.

The United Arab Emirates, a key US ally in the Arabian Gulf, said it came under attack from Iranian drones and missiles for a second day on Tuesday, even as US military leaders and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the ceasefire was still holding and that major US military operation against Iran has concluded.

Before Trump’s announcement, Rubio told a White House press briefing that for peace to be achieved, Iran must agree to US demands on its nuclear program and also agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“We would prefer the path of peace,” Rubio said. He also expressed hope that during the expected visit to China by the Iranian foreign minister on Wednesday, Beijing would reiterate to Tehran the need to release its chokehold on the strait.

Tuesday was the second day in the US push to reopen the strait to maritime traffic — an operation Rubio described as defensive and aimed at helping thousands of civilian sailors stranded there by the war.

“They’re sitting ducks, they’re isolated, they’re starving, they’re vulnerable,” Rubio said. “At least 10 sailors have already died as a result.”

On Monday, the US said it had opened a lane and sunk six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships. So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the new US-guarded route, with hundreds more bottled up in the Arabian Gulf.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, along with fertilizer and other petroleum products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the US military’s top officer, told a news conference that Iran’s renewed attacks had not reached the threshold of what Caine called “major combat operations.” He said Tuesday marked a “quieter” day in the strait.

At the White House, Rubio said clashes with Iran related to American efforts to reopen the straight were “defensive in nature.”

“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first, OK?” Rubio said. “We’re not attacking them.”

Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the US attempt to reopen the waterway.

“We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet,” he said in a post on X. His statement did not mention negotiations with the US that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.

Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six Iranian boats, an Iranian military commander said two small cargo boats were hit Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.

Caine, the top US general who serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more than 100 US military aircraft are patrolling the skies over the strait. The US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, depriving Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.

So far, just two civilian vessels, both US-flagged merchant ships, are known to have passed through the strait as part of the lane the US says it has created. Shipping company Maersk said one of them, a vehicle carrier that it operates, exited the strait safely Monday with US military assistance.

Former military officers who have served on the strait have said opening it would be dangerous and highly challenging, even with military escorts, which the US is not providing now.

There’s little room to maneuver in the waterway that is just 34 kilometers wide, and Iran can reach all of the strait and its approaches with cruise missiles. It also can target vessels with longer-range missiles, drones, fast attack craft and mines.

Hapag-Lloyd AG, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, said in a statement that its risk assessment “remains unchanged” and that transits through the strait “are for the moment not possible for our ships.”

Iran has attacked ships that try to transit without going through its own route in the northern part of the strait along the Iranian coastline. That involves being vetted by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and in some cases making a payment.

The US-approved route goes through territorial waters of Oman to the south.

“For shipping companies and for insurance companies, they still have to wait and see how this plays out,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.