US President Donald Trump has announced a pause on 'Project Freedom', the American-led effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz, saying he hopes to finalise a deal with Iran. In a social media post, Trump stated the pause was for 'a short period' to allow space for negotiations, citing requests from Pakistan and other countries, military success, and progress towards a final agreement with Iran. However, he confirmed that the blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place.
The announcement came just days after the launch of Project Freedom on Monday, and appeared to contradict earlier statements from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. At a Pentagon news conference, Hegseth had claimed the US had secured a path through the waterway, with hundreds of commercial ships lining up to pass. Rubio later described the US effort as a 'favour to the world', while noting that only two merchant ships had so far passed through the US-guarded route.
Iran has yet to comment on Trump's statement. The pause comes amid ongoing tensions, including Iranian drone and missile attacks on the United Arab Emirates, which Tehran denies. Rubio insisted that US clashes with Iran in the strait were 'defensive in nature', adding that 'there's no shooting unless we're shot at first'. The US military reported a 'quieter' day in the strait on Tuesday.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, with the US national average retail price passing $4.50 a gallon for the first time since July 2022. Brent crude held steady at $108 a barrel after Trump's announcement. The Trump administration also faces pressure over the war powers resolution, which requires congressional approval for military activities after 60 days. A senior official had previously stated that the US had 'terminated' hostilities with Iran following the 8 April ceasefire.
