US President Donald Trump unveiled an initiative called “Project Freedom”, which aims to assist commercial ships currently stuck in the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in the Gulf region.In a post on Truth Social on Sunday (local time), Trump said that several countries had requested US assistance to help their ships safely exit the strategically important waterway.The US President said, “Countries around the world, almost all of which are not so directly and violently involved in the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, have asked the United States if we can help free their ships, which are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, which they have nothing to do with.”He said the US would intervene to ensure the safe movement of the affected ships. “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these countries that we will escort their ships safely out of these restricted waterways, so they can go about their business freely and efficiently,” he said.Trump said that the ships involved belong to countries that are not directly involved in the current conflict. “Again, these are ships from areas of the world that are in no way connected to what is currently happening in the Middle East. I have asked my representatives to inform them that we will do our best to get their ships and crews out of the strait safely,” he said.He further said that once the ships left, they would not return until the situation became safe. “In all cases, they said they would not return until the area was safe for navigation and everything else,” he said.Trump said the initiative, called “Project Freedom”, would begin Monday morning (Middle East time). “This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning Middle East time.”He also said that US representatives are engaged in “very positive discussions” with Iran, which suggests possible diplomatic progress.“I am absolutely aware that my representatives are having very positive discussions with the country of Iran and that these discussions can lead to something very positive for everyone,” Trump said.He said the movement of the ships was aimed at assisting people unaffected by the conflict. “The aim of the cruise movement is simply to liberate people, companies and countries who have done nothing wrong – they are victims of circumstance,” he said.Describing the initiative as humanitarian in nature, Trump said, “This is a humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, the Middle Eastern countries, especially the country of Iran.”He also highlighted concerns over the supply situation on ships. “Many of these ships are running short of food and everything the crews need to live in a healthy and hygienic manner,” he said.Trump warned against interference in the operation. He said, “If, in any way, this humanitarian process is interfered with, then unfortunately, that interference will have to be dealt with forcefully.”In a separate development, Trump also rejected Iran’s latest proposal to address the regional conflict, calling it “not acceptable.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai said Tehran had received Washington’s response to its proposal and was currently reviewing it. According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the resolution was presented as a response to the US plan and called for an end to hostilities on multiple fronts, including in Lebanon.While the US had proposed a two-month ceasefire, Iran has insisted on a shorter timeframe of 30 days and stressed that priority should be given to ending the war rather than extending the ceasefire.The Iranian proposal also demands guarantees against military action, the withdrawal of US forces from areas near Iran, the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions and the establishment of a new mechanism to manage the Strait of Hormuz.
