US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States will begin 'freeing up' ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday, describing the operation as a 'humanitarian gesture' and warning Iran against interference.
Dubbed 'Project Freedom', the campaign's implementation and coordination with Tehran remain unclear. If met with Iranian resistance, the move risks shattering the fragile ceasefire that took effect in April.
Trump wrote on social media that 'many of these Ships are running low on food, and everything else necessary for largescale crews to stay on board in a healthy and sanitary manner.' He warned that any interference would 'have to be dealt with forcefully.'
The US president claimed his representatives informed Iranian officials that Washington will 'use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait.' However, the US military previously stated it is 'not ready' to escort vessels through the waterway.
Despite the truce holding for over three weeks, Tehran's blockade in Hormuz and Washington's naval siege on Iranian ports have driven oil prices higher. In the US, gasoline has risen to $4.44 per gallon, fueling inflation and public discontent with the war, as Trump's approval ratings plummet.
Trump had previously expressed comfort with the status quo of competing blockades in the Gulf, arguing the US siege is 'more effective than bombing.' The forcible reopening of Hormuz could alter the relative calm of recent weeks.
Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said the US military push will not be seen as a humanitarian mission by Iran. She questioned whether it is a threat, a negotiating tactic, or the president's actual plan.
Trump suggested on Sunday that diplomatic resolution remains possible, but hours earlier he rejected Iran's 14-point proposal to end the war. Iranian officials said they received a formal US response and are studying it.
On Saturday, Trump wrote that Iran has 'not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity.' Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned it is 'fully prepared' to counter any 'adventures or foolishness' from Washington.
Source: www.aljazeera.com