Arabic version: ترامب يوقف ‘مشروع الحرية’ في عمليات مضيق هرمز
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that the U.S. operation, known as ‘Project Freedom’, which aimed to guide stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, will be paused for a “short period of time.” This decision comes after a day of operations, with Trump stating that the halt was made by “mutual agreement” due to “Great Progress” in negotiations with Iran. According to BBC News, Iranian state media characterized the pause as a victory, suggesting that it indicated Trump had retreated following previous failures to reopen the critical waterway for global shipping.
The announcement coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio declaring the conclusion of the initial U.S.-Israeli offensive in Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, which had achieved its objectives. Trump noted that the decision to pause was made at the request of Pakistan, which has acted as an intermediary between the U.S. and Iran. Despite the pause, Trump confirmed that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect.
The future of the operation remains uncertain. Project Freedom was intended to facilitate the flow of oil from the region and restore the global economy by guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz. However, if Iranian interference persists during this pause, achieving this objective could be challenging. The administration might hope that this temporary halt in operations could incentivize Iran to return to the negotiating table.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rubio addressed concerns following a series of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz that raised fears about the stability of the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf suggested that the U.S. is struggling with the current status quo, while the UAE reported ongoing engagements with missiles and drones from Iran. The situation remains tense, with both sides accusing each other of escalating conflicts, while Trump expressed hope for a negotiated settlement with Iran in the future.
