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Amid the operational pause on “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran faces a fiery future should it choose not to open the key shipping artery.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
The president warned that if Iran didn’t agree to a peace deal, “the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
Last week, President Trump notified Congress, on the 60-day deadline of the War Powers Act, that hostilities with Iran had “terminated,” technically ending Operation Epic Fury at that point.
This was followed by the launch of “Project Freedom” on Monday, a U.S. military mission to escort commercial vessels safely through the Strait of Hormuz. This is a “separate and distinct” mission from Operation Epic Fury, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
“Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration,” he said during a briefing on Tuesday. “With one mission: protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression.”
However, on Tuesday night, President Trump announced that the mission had been paused:
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.”
According to Fox News’ Peter Doocy, the U.S. and Iran may be “closing in” on a deal this week. The deal allegedly may include a five-year ban on Iran’s nuclear enrichment, according to Doocy, a ban on underground nuclear facilities, and a commitment to nuclear inspections. Key to these negotiations, as well, is securing Iran’s commitment to end its closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
