US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that “Project Freedom" in the Strait of Hormuz will be temporarily paused to allow for efforts to reach a deal with Iran.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“Based on 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, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," he wrote.
Trump announced Project Freedom just this past Sunday. The operation was meant to escort foreign vessels from the Strait of Hormuz.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters earlier on Tuesday that the goal of the project is "to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries that are trapped and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by the Iranian regime."
He stated that Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is "not just criminal," but "desperate and destructive," and called it "piracy."
Rubio also declared that the Operation Epic Fury phase of the Iran conflict is over, explaining that Iran’s ability “to build a shield behind which they could hide their nuclear program was wiped out. That is a very substantial achievement and that was the purpose of this operation from day one."
He then stressed, “The operation is over. Epic Fury, the president notified Congress, we’re done with that stage of it. We are now onto this project of freedom."