Trump pauses ‘Project Freedom’ in Hormuz; naval blockade to remain

Project Freedom is an initiative earlier announced by Trump under which he said the US will guide ships out of the Strait of Hormuz

Published on: May 6, 2026, 04:58:18 IST

Edited by Akansha Purohit

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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that following requests from countries, US will pause ‘Project Freedom’ for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement with Iran can be finalised and signed. However, Trump also added that the country will maintain its naval blockade.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that the decision was taken after a request from Pakistan and other countries and after the “tremendous military success” during the campaign against Iran.

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“We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalised and signed,” Trump wrote in the post.

Project Freedom is an initiative earlier announced by Trump under which he said the US will guide ships out of the Strait of Hormuz amid the heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over the virtual control of the critical shipping route

Also read: Rubio says offensive operation towards Iran ‘over’, US exploring diplomatic path

Meanwhile, Iran has criticised the project with Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying, “We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America, whilst we have not even started yet.”

Ghalibaf said the actions of the US and its allies had put shipping security at risk, but said their "malign presence will diminish", with Tehran vowing not to surrender control of the Hormuz Strait.

Also read: Trump's health in focus as doctors flag 3am posts, bizarre 'Jesus image': 'It is concerning'

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a White House press briefing that for peace to be achieved, Iran must agree to US President Donald Trump’s demands on its nuclear program and also agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy.

Describing the ongoing US military activity linked to the Strait of Hormuz as a "defensive operation", Rubio asserted that US envoys were working towards finding a diplomatic path.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Akansha Purohit
Akansha Purohit is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she is part of the online news desk. She began her journey with the organisation as an intern and later joined the newsroom in a full-time editorial role. With close to a year of experience at Hindustan Times, she contributes to the daily news cycle by writing, curating, and editing digital content. Her work primarily focuses on national and international news, along with explainers that simplify complex developments and ongoing issues. She also writes on matters of public interest, and handles blogs with live updates. Akansha holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, and completed her postgraduate studies in Digital Media from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. During her postgraduate programme, she worked on several research and journalism projects that strengthened her reporting, editing, and digital storytelling skills.Read More

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