Trump Halts Project Freedom Amid Iran Negotiations

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States would temporarily suspend Project Freedom, the naval effort launched just 24 hours earlier to shepherd commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, in hopes of preserving a fragile diplomatic opening with Tehran.

Project Freedom Paused as Iran Talks Stall

The move comes after a suspected Iranian strike crippled a South Korean cargo ship and U.S. forces reported sinking seven Iranian patrol boats. Washington hopes the pause will buy time for a nuclear-related settlement, while the blockade that chokes Iranian oil exports remains in force.

“We are keeping the blockade fully operational while we assess whether a final agreement can be signed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

More than ↓ 20,000 sailors aboard roughly 1,600 vessels are stranded, and at least ten seafarers have perished, according to the International Maritime Organization. Global oil benchmarks have jumped ↑ 6% since the strait was militarized, pushing commodity costs higher worldwide.

Iranian state media denied targeting the South Korean vessel or the United Arab Emirates, instead accusing the United States of firing on civilian ships and killing five civilians. The United Arab Emirates and Oman reported alleged Iranian attacks on their territories on Monday, with the UAE claiming to have intercepted further strikes on Tuesday.

U.S. officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stress that the cease‑fire is “not over” and that the United States has shifted to a defensive posture aimed at restoring safe passage. Reuters notes that indirect talks have stalled over Tehran’s insistence on retaining control of the Strait and Washington’s demand for a complete abandonment of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Reported by: Elara Vance

Night-Shift Breaking News Lead