• Iran has warned that any US military involvement in the Strait of Hormuz will be viewed as a violation of the April 8 ceasefire
• The warning followed President Donald Trump’s announcement of “Project Freedom,” a US operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the blocked waterway
• Trump described the move as a humanitarian mission aimed at helping vessels and crews trapped in the strait amid worsening shortages

Iran has warned that any attempt by the United States to intervene in the Strait of Hormuz would be treated as a violation of the Middle East ceasefire, after President Donald Trump announced plans to begin escorting stranded ships through the heavily restricted waterway.

The warning marks a sharp escalation in tensions around the strategic shipping lane, where negotiations between Washington and Tehran have remained stalled since a ceasefire took effect on April 8.

At the centre of the impasse is Iran’s continued grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil, gas and fertiliser shipments.

Trump said on Sunday, May 3, that the United States would launch a new maritime operation, dubbed “Project Freedom,” to help guide commercial vessels trapped in the strait to safety.

He described the move as a “humanitarian” mission aimed at assisting ships and crews stranded in the blockade, many of whom are reportedly running low on food and other basic supplies.

“We will use our best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, adding that many vessels had made clear they would not return until the route was considered safe for navigation.

Tehran responded swiftly. The head of Iran’s parliamentary national security commission warned that “any American interference in the new maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ceasefire,” signalling that the operation could further destabilise already fragile diplomacy.

Iran’s restrictions on traffic through Hormuz have significantly disrupted global supply chains, choking the movement of crude oil, liquefied gas and fertiliser exports.

In response, Washington has imposed its own naval restrictions on Iranian ports, deepening the standoff and tightening pressure on Tehran.

Despite the growing tensions, Trump said diplomatic channels remained open, claiming his representatives were engaged in “very positive discussions” with Iran that could still produce a breakthrough.

However, he did not directly address Tehran’s reported 14-point proposal aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the strait.

The US Central Command said the operation would involve a major military deployment, including guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, unmanned systems across multiple domains and roughly 15,000 service members.

Maritime intelligence firm AXSMarine said more than 900 commercial vessels were still positioned in the Gulf as of April 29, highlighting the scale of the shipping disruption and the risks facing global trade if the standoff continues.

According to Axios, Iran has proposed a one-month negotiating window to reach an agreement that would reopen the strait, end the US naval blockade and move both sides closer to ending the conflict.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also raised the stakes, warning Trump that he must choose between what they described as “an impossible operation or a bad deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

European allies have also grown increasingly uneasy over the prolonged closure of the strait, fearing further economic fallout.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged Tehran to reopen the waterway immediately, stressing that while Berlin supports a diplomatic solution, Iran must also “completely and verifiably renounce nuclear weapons.”

The crisis has already rattled global markets. Oil prices remain roughly 50 per cent above pre-conflict levels, driven largely by the supply disruptions in Hormuz and fears of prolonged instability in one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

Trump, who spent the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, warned that any attempt to obstruct the mission would be met with force.

“If in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully,” he said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reinforced Washington’s hardline stance, describing the naval restrictions as part of a broader economic squeeze on Tehran.

“We are suffocating the regime, and they are not able to pay their soldiers. This is a real economic blockade,” Bessent said in an interview with Fox News.

Iranian military adviser Mohsen Rezaei responded with a blunt threat of his own, warning that Iranian forces were prepared to sink US warships if conflict escalates further.

“The US is the only pirate in the world that possesses aircraft carriers,” he wrote on X. “Prepare to face a graveyard of your carriers and forces.”

Trump sparks outrage after resharing ‘Strait of Trump’ map for Strait of Hormuz

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States President Donald Trump had triggered fresh controversy after resharing a Truth Social post proposing that the Strait of Hormuz be renamed the “Strait of Trump,” a move widely seen as provocative amid mounting geopolitical tensions.

The post featured a map of the strategically critical waterway relabeled with the suggested name, drawing swift global attention because of the Strait’s central role in global energy security.