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The pause comes as the White House believes it is close to reaching a deal with Iran.
By United with Israel Staff
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday evening that the United States will temporarily pause its naval transit operation through the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress in negotiations with Iran and growing optimism about a possible agreement to end the war.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision followed international appeals and recent diplomatic developments.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom… will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” he wrote.
The pause comes as the White House believes it is close to reaching a deal with Iran, according to an Axios report citing two U.S. officials. A Pakistani source also confirmed the emerging framework, signaling broader regional awareness of the negotiations.
Trump followed up Wednesday morning with another social media post that appeared to confirm reports of the emerging framework while issuing a stark ultimatum to Tehran.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran,” Trump wrote. “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
According to the report, the sides are drafting a short memorandum of understanding aimed at halting the fighting and creating a pathway for more comprehensive nuclear talks.
The proposed agreement would reportedly include an Iranian freeze on uranium enrichment in exchange for U.S. sanctions relief and the release of billions of dollars in frozen funds, along with eased restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. officials expect Iran to respond on key outstanding issues within 48 hours, a timeline that could determine whether the deal moves forward.
The diplomatic push follows days of heightened tensions in one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes. Earlier this week, U.S. forces began escorting vessels through the strait under “Project Freedom,” a large-scale operation aimed at securing commercial shipping routes amid Iranian threats.
According to U.S. Central Command, American forces intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones and destroyed six attack boats targeting vessels under U.S. protection.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the attacks were directed primarily at commercial shipping, as well as some U.S. Navy ships, but emphasized that U.S. forces “defeated each and every one of those threats.”
The mission involved a substantial military presence, including guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, unmanned systems, and roughly 15,000 service members.
The escalation was accompanied by sharp rhetoric from both sides. Trump had warned that any Iranian strike on U.S. vessels would be met with overwhelming force, saying Iran would be “blown off the face of the earth,” while Iranian officials rejected the U.S. operation as “baseless” and warned that foreign military forces entering the strait would be targeted.
Despite the recent clashes, the pause in operations and the emerging framework for an agreement suggest a potential turning point as Washington tests whether military pressure can translate into a diplomatic breakthrough.
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