The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has proposed a ‘humanitarian’ gesture to guide ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz safely out of the waterway. “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these countries that we will guide their ships safely out of these restricted waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business,” Trump said.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway, has been blocked by Iran since the war, disrupting global energy systems. Around 2,000 vessels and thousands of seafarers remain stranded, facing uncertainty, fear of attacks and low supplies of food and essential resources for the past two months.
Trump posted on Truth Social that ships from countries not involved in the war are innocent and have requested US aid to help free their ships. He called it “Project Freedom” and announced it will start on Monday morning, local time in the Middle East, but has not specified further details. He added that “If, in any way, this humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.” Iran has not yet responded to the announcement, although they are unlikely to accept such an arrangement, as control of the strait is one of the key cards they hold over the US.
Talks Continue Amid Tensions
As for negotiations between the two countries, talks are still ongoing, with Trump informing that US officials are holding “very positive discussions” with Iran. Earlier, however, the president had said that the proposal received from Iran was not acceptable. The ceasefire has been in place for the past three weeks, and the two countries have not yet reached an agreement. The plan to guide the ships out of the strait could lead to further hostilities between the countries especially in the strait.
