The U.S. is offering to escort ships out of the Strait of Hormuz again, but this time, it comes with a new pitch. It’s being sold as a nice-guy offer, not a military one.
President Trump called this “Project Freedom.” He offered to “guide” the stranded, neutral ships that are caught in the Strait “safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business” while the U.S. carries on this pesky little war with Iran. It is being framed as a humanitarian effort.
He could also end the war with Iran and get the Strait open permanently. He hinted at that tactic too, saying that ongoing “positive discussions” are happening with Iran.
Iranian lawmakers are not falling for the rebranded offer. Top lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi said that any U.S. interference in the strait will be considered a violation of the ceasefire.
This seems to suggest that the U.S. has made a mess it simply cannot solve. The President already offered to escort ships through the Strait weeks ago and no one took him up on it because it is extremely dangerous and foolhardy. Now it has a name, a softer pitch, and the same underlying problem: it’s still a high-risk move in one of the most volatile chokepoints in the world.
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