Trump says U.S. will 'free' ships stranded by Strait of Hormuz closure

by · UPI

May 3 (UPI) -- The United States will "free" cargo ships that have been trapped in the Persian Gulf since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb. 28, President Donald Trump wrote in social media post on Sunday.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, announced "Project Freedom" will begin on Monday with a goal of helping ships under the flags of neutral countries navigate through the closed Strait of Hormuz so they can "freely and ably get on with their business."

"I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait," Trump wrote. "In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation, and everything else."

The president offered no information on how the United States or its military would go about freeing the trapped vessels, which have been stranded in the Persian Gulf since Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps effectively closed the strait to maritime traffic in response to the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign.

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The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which up to 25% of the world's total seaborne oil trade passes, has resulted in a worldwide energy shock due to spiraling oil and gasoline prices.

With no end in sight to the shipping stand-off in the strait, Brent crude oil prices shot up to around $120 in trading on Thursday, the highest price since June 2022, while U.S. benchmark WTI crude jumped to $110.

Meanwhile, the U.S. average gasoline price per gallon also hit its highest level since 2022, reaching $4.39 per gallon on Friday -- up from $2.98 per gallon before the Iran war began.

Trump's declaration of "Project Freedom" came as Iran said on Sunday it is reviewing the United States' response to its most recent peace proposal, a 14-point plan that was reviewed by Trump on Saturday night.

The response was delivered to Iranian negotiators on Sunday, Iranian state media outlets PressTV and Tasnim reported, with officials clarifying some reports on the plan they said have been incorrect.

The 14-point plan is entirely focused on bringing an end to the two-month-old conflict, with no provisions about nuclear materials or other weapons, Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, said in an interview.

When asked about Iran's new plan on Saturday, Trump expressed doubt that it would meet U.S. requirements but said that he would be reviewing its exact language last night.

"The plan we have presented is centered on ending the war," Baghaei said. "There are absolutely no details regarding the country's nuclear issues in this proposal."

The basics of Iran's proposal are focused on ending hostilities and then opening a 30-day period for intense negotiation of other issues, including the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from areas around the country, lifting the U.S. naval blockade and ending the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, Tasnim reported.

But Baghaei said that reports of a suspension of nuclear activities or U.S.-Iran cooperation on clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz are not true.

"These are among the things that I believe are fabricated by the imagination of some media outlets," Baghaei said. "We are not currently engaged in any negotiations over the nuclear issue and decisions about the future will be made in due course."

Iranian officials said that the U.S. proposal had included a two-month cease-fire, which Iran countered with a 30-day period to resolve issues and to actually end the war.

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President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday. Trump signed an order to expand workers' access to retirement accounts. Trump also signed legislation ending a 75-day partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security after the House voted in favor of funding. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo