US President Donald Trump announced a pause in ‘Project Freedom,’ the American initiative aimed at guiding stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz. He stated this decision was made to facilitate the finalization of a deal with Iran, though he affirmed that the blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect.
Trump’s sudden policy shift was communicated via a social media post, where he indicated the pause would be for “a short period” to create space for US efforts to finalize a settlement with Iran and end the conflict.
Despite Project Freedom having launched only on Monday, Trump attributed his decision to “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.” Iran has yet to issue a comment on the development.
This announcement followed assurances from military leaders and US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, that a ceasefire in the Middle East was still holding, and that while the conflict remained unresolved, the initial major US military operation against Iran had concluded. Rubio declared, “The operation is over. Epic Fury – as the president notified Congress – we’re done with that stage of it.”
During a White House press briefing on Tuesday, Rubio emphasized that for peace to be achieved, Iran must agree to Trump’s demands regarding its nuclear program and consent to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s decision to pause Project Freedom appeared to contradict statements made just hours earlier by Rubio and US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. At a Pentagon news conference, Hegseth had asserted that the US had successfully secured a passage through the waterway, with hundreds of commercial ships reportedly preparing to transit. He added, “We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact. They said they control the strait. They do not.”
Rubio later stated that the US was working to facilitate ship transits through the strait as a “favor to the world … because we’re the only ones that can.” While Rubio was speaking to reporters, a cargo vessel in the strait reported being struck by an unknown projectile.
Rubio also expressed hope that during Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to China on Wednesday, Beijing would urge Tehran to release its “chokehold” on the strait. “It is in China’s interest that Iran stop closing the strait,” Rubio remarked.
To date, only two merchant ships are confirmed to have navigated the US-guarded route, leaving hundreds more, carrying an estimated 23,000 crew members, bottlenecked in the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, a crucial artery for major oil, gas, fertilizer, and other petroleum product supplies before the conflict, has caused fuel prices to skyrocket and destabilized the global economy. Breaking Iran’s control over the strait would strip Tehran of its primary leverage as Trump pushes for a significant rollback of its disputed nuclear program.
Meanwhile, for the second consecutive day, the United Arab Emirates reported drone and missile attacks from Iran, claims that Tehran has denied.
Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the US military’s top officer, informed a news conference that Iran’s renewed attacks had not escalated to what Caine termed “major combat operations.” He characterized Tuesday as a “quieter” day in the strait. Hegseth reiterated, “The ceasefire is not over.”
At the White House, Rubio described clashes with Iran related to American efforts to reopen the strait as “defensive in nature.” He clarified, “There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first, OK? We’re not attacking them.”
The Trump administration faces increasing scrutiny from Congress regarding its handling of the conflict, particularly due to the War Powers Resolution. This law typically mandates presidents to seek formal congressional approval for war activities 60 days after initiating military action.
On the eve of the 60-day War Powers deadline last week, a senior Trump administration official stated that the US had “terminated” hostilities with Iran since the fragile ceasefire on April 8.
Rising gasoline prices are also creating political challenges for Republicans ahead of the looming midterms. The national average retail price surpassed $4.50 per gallon on Tuesday for the first time since July 2022. In the hours following Trump’s surprise announcement, Brent crude prices remained stable at $108.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, hinted that Iran has yet to fully respond to the US attempt to reopen the waterway. In a post on X, he stated, “We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet.” His statement did not mention ongoing negotiations with the US, which are currently being conducted through messages via Pakistan.
Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six Iranian boats, an Iranian military commander reported that two small civilian cargo boats were hit on Monday, resulting in the deaths of five civilians, according to Iran’s state TV.
Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that over 100 US military aircraft are patrolling the skies above the strait. The US has maintained a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, depriving Tehran of crucial oil revenue needed to bolster its struggling economy.
Hapag-Lloyd AG, a major global container shipping company, stated that its risk assessment “remains unchanged” and that transits through the strait “are for the moment not possible for our ships.”
Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, commented, “For shipping companies and for insurance companies, they still have to wait and see how this plays out.”
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