Donald Trump says he has paused the Hormuz operation to advance a potential deal with Iran

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was halting a US naval mission to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, as part of efforts to secure a deal with Iran to end the ongoing regional conflict.

The initiative—dubbed “Project Freedom”—was launched on Monday to help ships navigate the narrow Gulf chokepoint, where Iran has asserted control following recent attacks against it.

However, Trump said on Truth Social that the operation would be temporarily paused at the request of mediator Pakistan and other countries, citing “great progress” toward a comprehensive agreement with Tehran.

“We have mutually agreed that, while the blockade will remain fully in place, Project Freedom will be paused briefly to determine whether the agreement can be finalized and signed,” he said.

The United States continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports, aiming to pressure Tehran into ending the war launched jointly by Washington and Israel on February 28.

Tensions have risen sharply around the Hormuz mission, with Washington claiming it sank seven Iranian boats, while several civilian vessels have reportedly come under attack, allegedly by Iran.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US offensive operations against Iran—under the name “Operation Epic Fury”—had concluded.

“The operation is over. We’ve completed that phase,” Rubio told reporters at the White House, noting that the Hormuz deployment was defensive in nature. “There will be no engagement unless US forces are fired upon,” he added.

The clashes in the strait were not part of the original conflict, Rubio said.

The war began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing senior figures and damaging key military and economic infrastructure. Iran has since retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region.

Trump declared a ceasefire on April 8, which has since been extended despite stalled negotiations with Tehran.

Rubio said Washington believes it has met its core objectives, warning that Iran is facing severe economic strain, while reiterating that Trump still favors a negotiated resolution.