President Donald Trump said on Tuesday evening that he’s pausing the U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz to permit time for a deal to finish the Iran war, but that the American forces’ blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place.
Trump announced the choice in a social media post, saying the trouble — which began on Monday within the vital waterway for global energy — would pause for a brief period to see whether an agreement with Tehran on ending the war within the Middle East could possibly be finalized.
Trump said the move was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we’ve got had through the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, moreover, the incontrovertible fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”
The White House didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment for further detail on the progress in negotiations that Trump mentioned. The talks have largely stalled though a ceasefire that took hold nearly a month ago is holding.
The United Arab Emirates, a key U.S. ally within the Persian Gulf, said it got here under attack from Iranian drones and missiles for a second day on Tuesday, whilst U.S. military leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the ceasefire was still holding and that — while the conflict is just not resolved — the initial major U.S. military operation against Iran has concluded.
Before the Trump announcement, Rubio told a White House press briefing that for peace to be achieved, Iran must conform to Trump’s demands on its nuclear program and in addition conform to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We would favor the trail of peace,” Rubio said. He also expressed hope that through the expected visit to China by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday, Beijing would reiterate to Tehran the necessity to release its chokehold on the strait.
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US pushed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday was only the second day within the U.S. push to reopen the strait to maritime traffic — an operation Rubio described as defensive and geared toward helping 1000’s of civilian sailors stranded there by the war.
“They’re sitting geese, they’re isolated, they’re ravenous, they’re vulnerable,” Rubio said. “A minimum of 10 sailors have already died consequently.”
On Monday, the U.S. said it had opened a lane and sunk six small Iranian boats that had threatened industrial ships. Up to now, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the brand new U.S.-guarded route, with a whole lot more bottled up within the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, together with fertilizer and other petroleum products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the worldwide economy. Breaking Iran’s grip would deny its important source of leverage as Trump demands a significant rollback of Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
Iran says the brand new US effort violates ceasefire
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the U.S. military’s top officer, told a news conference that Iran’s renewed attacks had not reached the brink of what Caine called “major combat operations.” He said Tuesday marked a “quieter” day within the strait.
On the White House, Rubio said clashes with Iran related to American efforts to reopen the straight were “defensive in nature.”
“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first, OK?” Rubio said. “We’re not attacking them.”
Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, signaled that Iran has yet to totally reply to the U.S. try to reopen the waterway.
“We all know full well that the continuation of the establishment is intolerable for America; while we’ve got not even begun yet,” he said in a post on X. His statement didn’t mention negotiations with the U.S. which can be now in the shape of passing messages via Pakistan.
Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six Iranian boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.
Caine, the highest U.S. general who serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said greater than 100 U.S. military aircraft are patrolling the skies over the strait. The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, depriving Tehran of oil revenue it must shore up its ailing economy.
The Trump administration has cited the April 8 ceasefire in asserting that the president doesn’t have to offer a proper update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution. That law typically requires presidents to hunt formal approval from Congress for war activities 60 days after starting military motion.
Shippers remain wary
Up to now, just two civilian vessels, each U.S.-flagged merchant ships, are known to have passed through the strait as a part of the lane the U.S. says it has created. Shipping company Maersk said considered one of them, a vehicle carrier that it operates, exited the strait safely Monday with U.S. military assistance.
Former military officers who’ve served on the strait have said opening it could be dangerous and highly difficult, even with military escorts, which the U.S. is just not providing now.
There’s little room to maneuver within the waterway that’s just 21 miles (34 kilometers) wide, and Iran can reach the entire strait and its approaches with cruise missiles. It can also goal vessels with longer-range missiles, drones, fast attack craft and mines.
Hapag-Lloyd AG, considered one of the world’s largest container shipping firms, said in an announcement that its risk assessment “stays unchanged” and that transits through the strait “are for the moment impossible for our ships.”
Iran has attacked ships that attempt to transit without going through its own route within the northern a part of the strait along the Iranian coastline. That involves being vetted by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and in some cases making a payment.
The U.S.-approved route goes through territorial waters of Oman to the south.
“For shipping firms and for insurance firms, they still must wait and see how this plays out,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst in danger intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.
The UAE bore the brunt of Iran’s retaliation
The UAE’s Defense Ministry said it was responding to a different Iranian drone and missile attack on Tuesday, though there have been no reports of injury or casualties. A day earlier, it said Emirati air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and 4 drones from Iran, considered one of which sparked a hearth at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals.
The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE, also on Monday.
Iran denied striking the UAE “in recent days,” in accordance with an announcement by Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for Iran’s joint military command, that was read Tuesday on state TV.