US-led task force tells ships to reroute on first day of new effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

US offers to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz

The effort to revive traffic risks unraveling the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.

U.S. President Trump in a social media post on Sunday promised that the U.S. would “guide” ships out of the strait, warning that Iranian efforts to block them “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”

He described part of what he called “Project Freedom” in humanitarian terms, designed to aid stranded seafarers, many on oil tankers or cargo ships, have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crews have described to The Associated Press seeing intercepted drones and missiles explode over the waters as their vessels run low on drinking water, food and other supplies.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency later called Trump’s “Project Freedom” part of his “delirium.” Iran’s military command said on Monday that ships passing must coordinate with them.

“We warn that any foreign military force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Major General Pilot Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB.

It was unclear as of Monday morning whether any vessels, many of which have become essentially stranded by the standoff, were attempting to cross or whether ships were staying put.

The Joint Maritime Information Center said the U.S. has set up an “enhanced security area” near the Oman side of the strait. It urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities “due to anticipated high traffic volume.”

It warned that passing close to usual routes, know as the traffic separation scheme, “should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated.”

Iran stands firm

The disruption of the waterway has become one of the most enduring consequences of the war that the U.S. and Israel launched Feb. 28, squeezing countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas and raising gasoline, food and other prices far beyond the region.

Iran has put particular pressure on Trump, who promised to bring down gas prices and faces midterm elections this year, and has called U.S. moves to dislodge its grip over the strait ceasefire violations. They have vowed not to return the strait to prewar conditions and moved to impose charges on transiting ships.

The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran and enacted a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling 49 commercial ships to turn back, U.S. Central Command said Sunday.

The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.

U.S. officials hope the blockade helps break the deadlock, forcing Iran back to the negotiation table under pressure. Yet thus far negotiations are still in the proposal and review phase, with no publicly announced talks between the U.S. and Iran underway.

“We think that they’ve gotten less than $1.3 million in tolls, which is a pittance on their previous daily oil revenues,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Sunday, adding that Iran’s oil storage is rapidly filling up and “they’re going to have to start shutting in wells, which we think could be in the next week.”

Iran’s 14-point proposal made public over the weekend 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’s operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran’s security organizations.

Iranian officials said they received and were reviewing the U.S.’s response, Mizan, the news agency of Iran’s judiciary reported Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei saying Sunday.

But “at this stage, we have no nuclear negotiations,” Baghaei said. Iran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium have long been the central issue in tensions with the U.S., but Tehran would rather address it later.

Iran’s proposal wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to Iran’s state-linked media. Trump on Saturday said he was reviewing the proposal but expressed doubt it would lead to a deal.

Iranian crew taken off seized tanker

Pakistan said Monday it has facilitated the transfer of 22 crew members from an Iranian vessel seized by the U.S., describing the move as a confidence-building measure as Pakistant attempts to revive talks between the two sides.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the crew members, who had been aboard the Iranian container ship MV Touska, were evacuated and flown to Pakistan overnight. They are expected to be handed over to Iranian authorities.

The vessel will be brought into Pakistani territorial waters for necessary repairs before being returned to its original owners, the ministry said, adding that the process is being coordinated with the support of Iran and the U.S.

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Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank. Munir Ahmed contributed from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Adam Schreck And Sam Metz, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

US-led task force tells ships to reroute on first day of new effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

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