Amid Iran's resilience, Trump says 'pausing' plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump says he is "pausing" his so-called "Project Freedom," a new interventionist military adventure with the self-described aim of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, amid strict controls being exercised over the waterway by Iran.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, just one day after declaring initiation of the project.
Exclusive: Iran launches new maritime mechanism for vessels transiting Strait of Hormuzhttps://t.co/rbQejEJ6jl
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) May 5, 2026
Framed as a "humanitarian" effort to free stranded merchant ships, the project was supposed to see the US "guide" commercial ships out of the strait.
Reacting to news about the project, however, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warned that any maritime movement running counter to principles declared by the IRGC's Navy would face serious risks. IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi stressed that any trespassing vessel would be "forcibly stopped," ruling out as "baseless" statements made to the contrary regarding maritime affairs governing the Persian Gulf.
IRGC vows to 'forcefully stop' ships violating Strait of Hormuz regulationshttps://t.co/1JhkwuKimV
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) May 4, 2026
Iran shut down the strait to enemies and their allies following the launch on February 28 of the United States' and the Israeli regime's latest bout of unprovoked aggression targeting the Islamic Republic.
It began exercising far stricter controls last month after Trump announced an illegal blockade of Iranian vessels and ports in continuation of the aggression and in violation of the terms of a ceasefire the US president, himself, had declared earlier.
On Friday, the IRGC's Navy pledged to enforce Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei's "historic" directive concerning the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
‘A new chapter’: Leaders says Iran will determine ‘new legal rules’ in Strait of Hormuz https://t.co/eFVakesM65
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 30, 2026
Ayatollah Khamenei had issued the directive a day earlier, asserting that foreigners with "ominous" plots targeting the Persian Gulf had no place in the region "except at the bottom of its waters."
Adding to his remarks, Trump alleged that his "decision" to pause the project was based in part on "the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement" with Iran.
The Islamic Republic, however, has categorically refused to rejoin talks with the United States as long as the blockade stays in place.
Observers commenting on Trump's post, meanwhile, cautioned about the US president's seeking to use the announcement to hide the prospect of fresh pending aggression.
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