U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is considering resuming “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the plan would not be limited to escorting ships. Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Trump said the United States would continue pressuring Iran until an agreement is reached and claimed Tehran would eventually be forced to accept Washington’s demands. He also alleged that Iran lacks the technical capability to remove its nuclear stockpiles on its own and said Iranian negotiators had acknowledged they would need U.S. assistance to carry out the process. Trump added that if “Project Freedom” is reactivated, the mission of U.S. forces would extend beyond simply accompanying commercial vessels. In a separate interview with CBS News, Trump said he had anticipated the possibility of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the waterway remains Tehran’s most important source of leverage. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called for a shift in Washington’s approach toward Iran, saying the proposed “Project Freedom Plus” operation could be a suitable option following what he described as Tehran’s “unacceptable” response to the U.S. proposal. “Project Freedom” was an operation launched by Trump last week to help secure the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he suspended the mission about 48 hours later, saying the move was intended to allow more time for diplomacy. At the same time, oil prices rose again after Trump described Iran’s response to the U.S. proposal as “completely unacceptable,” increasing concerns over possible disruptions to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
