US President Donald Trump announced a new initiative, “Project Freedom”, which aims to escort foreign ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war between the United States and Iran.
He posted on Truth Social that multiple countries had requested assistance from the US to free their vessels that remain stranded in the economically critical maritime passage. He sympathised with the ships and its crews, calling them “neutral and innocent bystanders” caught in a volatile situation. Trump ensured guidance from the United States to escort the vessels out of the strait and enable them to resume operations freely.
Project Freedom is scheduled to start Monday morning, West Asian time.
Trump called the move a “humanitarian effort” and emphasised that many ships are running low on food and essential supplies required for standard living conditions. He further added that the project is intended to benefit all parties, including Iran and other countries in the Gulf.
“I have told my representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait,” he said.
Trump signalled that the United States and Iran are engaged in “very positive discussions”, raising hopes of a de-escalation of tensions between both countries.
He also warned that any interference with the operation would be met with forceful retaliation, highlighting the serious nature of the mission.
Around 20% of the world’s oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the United States and Israel launched a joint operation against Iran on February 28. Iran responded by imposing a blockade on the Strait, leading to a global energy crisis.
President Trump had earlier rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal, describing it as “not acceptable”. He turned down a 14-point-framework that aimed to shift the current ceasefire into a more stable arrangement.
