The Navy of the United States Navy is today launching an effort to free ships that remain stranded in the Sea Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the effort as a “humanitarian gesture” aimed only at helping neutral countries not involved in the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
“For the sake of Iran, the Middle East and the United States, we have informed these countries thatwe will guide their ships safely out of these restricted sea lanes so they can freely and continue their activities,” the Republican president said in a post on Truth Social.
“This process, Project Freedom, will begin on Monday morning, Middle East time,” Trump added.
In his post alongside, Trump said the US has “very positive discussions” with Iran that “could lead to something very positive for everyone.” “My representatives have very positive discussions with Iran and those discussions could lead to something very positive for everyone,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The ceasefire has been in place since April 8, after nearly 40 days of Israeli and US airstrikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation in the region. However, negotiations since the ceasefire began have stalled.
Following Donald Trump’s announcement that a naval operation is planned to escort ships blockaded in the Gulf, a senior Iranian official warned today that Tehran would consider any “American involvement” in the Strait of Hormuz a “violation” of the ceasefire.
“Warning: Any American involvement in the new naval regime in the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ceasefire,” Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s committee in charge of national security affairs, said in English and Persian via X.
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