President Donald Trump announced the suspension of “Project Freedom,” the operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, saying talks with Iran have shown substantial progress toward a complete and final agreement. In a Truth Social post he said that, following requests from Pakistan and other nations, the military successes of the campaign against Iran and the diplomatic advances made, leaders agreed to pause Project Freedom temporarily to see if an agreement can be finalized and signed. He added that the broader blockade would remain in effect.
Project Freedom was launched earlier in the week to move vessels stranded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to safer waters. Trump first announced the operation on Sunday, and U.S. Central Command began carrying it out the next day. The operation heightened tensions in the strategic waterway, a conduit for about one-fifth of global oil shipments: the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking its vessels, and U.S. officials said they had destroyed several small Iranian boats.
Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, has concluded after achieving its objectives. Rubio told reporters at the White House that while the administration prefers peace and a negotiated settlement, Iran has so far chosen a different course. He also described Project Freedom as a rescue and defensive mission intended to evacuate nearly 23,000 civilians from 87 countries who were trapped in the Persian Gulf, emphasizing that forces would only return fire if attacked first or if a ship came under assault.
