United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that his country will pause its military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz “for a short period of time”, citing progress towards a peace deal with Iran.
The decision followed a request from Pakistan and other countries, Trump said. It came as Washington seeks to finalise an agreement with Tehran to end the war in West Asia.
In a post on social media, Trump said that while the blockade of Iranian ports would remain in force, “Project Freedom”, which was the codename given to the operation to guide vessels through the strait, would be paused to allow negotiations to advance.
He said that there had been “great progress” towards a “complete and final agreement” with Iranian representatives.
The operation had been launched on Monday. Iran has effectively closed the strait, a key global shipping route, in response to attacks by the US and Israel.
Washington claimed on Monday that it had sunk several Iranian boats and countered aerial threats targeting shipping routes.
‘Operation Epic Fury’ ends
Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the initial US military campaign against Iran that began on February 28, known as “Operation Epic Fury”, had concluded.
The US had achieved its objectives and would not initiate further fighting, he said, adding that Washington “would prefer the path of peace” and that the president wanted a deal.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that “no one can make us surrender”, and called for an end to US military pressure in the region.
The war
The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran’s action posed an existential threat to Israel. Washington acts as a guarantor of Israel’s security. Iran retaliated by striking Israel and US military bases in the region, targeting major cities in Gulf countries and ships.
Tehran also effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterbody connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, for most international commercial vessels, triggering a global energy crisis. About 20% of global petroleum supply passes through the maritime chokepoint.
The peace talks between Iran and the US that were held in Islamabad, Pakistan collapsed on April 12 but the ceasefire in the region had largely held.
Israel has been claiming that Iran is close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, which could alter the regional security balance. Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.
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