DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� The United States will launch an effort on Monday to 鈥済uide鈥� stranded ships from the Iran-gripped , President said, giving few details about what could be a sweeping effort to help hundreds of vessels and some 20,000 seafarers.
Trump said in a social media post on Sunday that 鈥渘eutral and innocent鈥� countries have been affected by the , and 鈥渨e 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.鈥�
鈥淧roject Freedom鈥� would begin on Monday morning in the Middle East, Trump said, adding that his representatives are having discussions with Iran that could lead to something 鈥渧ery positive for all.鈥�
U.S. Central Command said the initiative would involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members. The Pentagon did not immediately answer questions about how they would be deployed.
Iran鈥檚 effective closure of the strait, imposed after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, has shaken global markets.
Ships and seafarers, many on oil and gas tankers and cargo ships, have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crew members have watching intercepted drones and missiles explode over the waters, and running low on drinking water, food and other supplies.
Many sailors come from India and other countries in south and southeast Asia.
鈥淭hey are victims of circumstance,鈥� Trump wrote, and described the effort as a humanitarian gesture 鈥渙n behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran.鈥� But he sounded a warning: 鈥淚f, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 statement was quickly shared by some Iranian outlets, which described his announcement as a 鈥渃laim.鈥�
Trump spoke hours after Iran said it was reviewing the U.S. response to its latest proposal to end the war and made clear these are not nuclear negotiations. The fragile appears to be holding.
A cargo ship is attacked near the strait
Earlier Sunday, a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz said it was attacked by multiple small craft, the British military鈥檚 United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported. It was the latest in at least two dozen attacks in and around the strait since the Iran war began, and a reminder of the risks if the new U.S. effort goes forward.
All crew on the unidentified northbound cargo ship were safe after the attack off Sirik, Iran, east of the strait, the British monitor said. Iranian officials have asserted that they control the strait and that ships not affiliated with the United States or Israel can pass if they guaranteed by international law.
Iran denied an attack, the semiofficial Iranian outlets Fars and Tabnak reported, and said a passing ship had been stopped for a documents check as part of monitoring.
It was the first reported attack in the area since April 22. Tehran has effectively closed the strait by attacking and threatening ships, and the threat level in the area remains critical.
Iranian patrol boats, some powered only by twin outboard motors, are small, nimble and hard to detect. last month ordered the U.S. military to that deploy mines in the strait.
The British military monitor also said Sunday that ships near Ras al-Khaimah, the northernmost emirate in the United Arab Emirates and close to the strait, reported receiving radio warnings to move from anchorages. It was not clear who sent the VHF messages.
Iran reviews US response to its latest proposal
Tehran is reviewing the U.S. response to its latest proposal to end the war, Iran鈥檚 judiciary Mizan news agency cited Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei as saying.
But 鈥渁t this stage, we have no nuclear negotiations,鈥� Baghaei said. Iran鈥檚 nuclear program and have long been the central issue in tensions with the U.S., but Tehran would rather address it later.
Iran鈥檚 proposal wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to Iran鈥檚 state-linked media. Trump on Saturday said he was reviewing the proposal but expressed doubt it would lead to a deal.
Iran鈥檚 14-point proposal calls for the U.S. lifting sanctions on Iran, ending the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, withdrawing forces from the region and ceasing all hostilities, including Israel鈥檚 operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour 小萝莉影视 and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran’s security organizations.
Pakistan’s prime minister, foreign minister and army chief continue to encourage the U.S. and Iran to speak directly, according to two officials in Pakistan who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Pakistan hosted face-to-face talks last month and has passed messages between the two sides.
Iran stands firm on Strait of Hormuz
Trump has offered a to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where about a fifth of the world鈥檚 trade in oil and natural gas typically passes, along with fertilizer badly needed by farmers around the world and .
Tehran 鈥渨ill not back down from our position on the Strait of Hormuz, and it will not return to its prewar conditions,鈥� Iran鈥檚 deputy parliament speaker, Ali Nikzad, said earlier Sunday.
The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran in any form, including digital assets, to transit the strait safely.
Meanwhile, the U.S. naval blockade since April 13 is depriving Tehran of oil revenue it needs to . The U.S. Central Command on Sunday said 49 commercial ships have been told to turn back.
鈥淲e think that they鈥檝e gotten less than $1.3 million in tolls, which is a pittance on their previous daily oil revenues,鈥� U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox 小萝莉影视 on Sunday. He said Iran’s oil storage is rapidly filling up and “they鈥檙e going to have to start shutting in wells, which we think could be in the next week.鈥�
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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Anna from Lowville, New York. Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
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