President Trump announced he is pausing Project Freedom, the brief U.S. military effort to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, saying there has been “great progress” toward a “Complete and Final Agreement” to end the war with Iran. The pause, agreed to after requests from Pakistan and other countries, will be temporary while negotiators attempt to finalize a deal, Trump said, but he added that the broader U.S. blockade will remain in place.
Iran has not yet issued a public response to Trump’s announcement. The Project Freedom pause comes just one day after the operation began and hours after Pentagon leaders praised it as successful. The operation had prompted Iran to carry out its first attacks in weeks on vessels in the strait and on Gulf allies, raising tensions regionally.
Pakistan, which has been mediating talks between Washington and Tehran, welcomed the pause. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the halt “will go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation” and expressed hope that current momentum will yield a lasting agreement.
U.S. and allied officials framed Project Freedom as a way to protect commercial navigation through a vital global energy artery. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there are more than 1,500 vessels with roughly 22,500 mariners currently trapped inside the Persian Gulf, underscoring the urgency of restoring secure passage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Operation Epic Fury — the preceding military phase — has concluded and described Project Freedom as the new phase. Rubio accused Iran of trying to hold the global economy hostage by threatening ships, laying mines, and imposing what he called “illegal tolls” in the strait.
Diplomatically, the U.S. and Gulf partners have submitted a draft U.N. Security Council resolution threatening sanctions or other measures if Iran does not stop attacks on shipping, disclose mine placements, and participate in efforts to open humanitarian corridors for vital goods. A prior, more limited resolution was vetoed by China and Russia before the temporary ceasefire that began in early April.
China’s foreign minister told Iran’s deputy foreign minister that Beijing is “deeply distressed” by the war and said a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed. Iranian officials, speaking after talks in Beijing, said Tehran will only accept “a fair and comprehensive agreement” and will defend its legitimate rights in negotiations.
Iranian state media said the future governance of the Strait of Hormuz will “likely reflect a new balance of power and security considerations,” suggesting Tehran and neighboring Oman could play central roles in any future maritime arrangements. The report framed proposals as efforts to improve safety and organization for shipping, while Iran has repeatedly linked the strait’s status to its national security.
Meanwhile, fighting continues elsewhere in the region. Israel’s military said two soldiers were wounded in a Hezbollah drone and rocket attack amid Israel’s ongoing operations in southern Lebanon. The IDF said it intercepted a hostile aircraft before it crossed into Israeli territory and launched new strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah claimed the attacks in defense of Lebanon and in response to alleged Israeli violations of ceasefire terms; the cross-border fighting has complicated Pakistan’s mediation, as Tehran insists any wider peace deal must address Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah.
The situation remains fluid: the U.S. has paused the ship-escort operation to test whether a negotiated agreement can be finalized, Iran has not publicly reacted, regional and global powers are pressing for ceasefire and negotiations, and military exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah continue to threaten broader instability.