US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States would suspend its naval escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz after only one day, aiming to facilitate a peace deal with Iran and end the war in the Middle East.
Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Project Freedom, the US operation to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, would be suspended for a short period to see if the agreement can be finalised and signed.
However, Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place during this suspension.
Just hours earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared the offensive phase of the conflict with Iran “over” and said the administration was now focusing on defensive measures under Project Freedom, which had been announced on Sunday by Trump.
On Monday, the US military announced that it had successfully escorted two US-flagged merchant ships through the strait, a claim that Iran later denied.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping lane, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the world’s hydrocarbon exports.
Following a joint attack on Iran by Israel and the US on 28 February, Tehran has leveraged its strategic position to disrupt traffic through the narrow passage, bordered by Iran and Oman, which connects the Gulf to key international maritime routes.
This blockade has sent fuel prices and the cost of other goods, such as fertilisers, soaring worldwide.
