Trump Launches Hormuz Ship Rescue as Iran Proposes Peace
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- Trump announced 'Project Freedom' will begin Monday to guide stranded ships from 'neutral and innocent' countries out of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any interference would be 'dealt with forcefully'
- Two ships were attacked near the strait on Sunday — a cargo ship near Sirik, Iran hit by multiple small craft and a tanker struck by 'unknown projectiles' off Fujairah, UAE — the first attacks since April 22 and no injuries were reported
- Iran denied attacking the first vessel, claiming it was stopped for a documents check; Iranian officials have asserted that non-US/non-Israeli ships can transit if they pay a toll, challenging international freedom of navigation
- Iran's new 14-point proposal seeks to resolve all issues within 30 days and end the war entirely, demanding the US lift sanctions, end its naval blockade, withdraw regional forces, and halt Israeli operations in Lebanon
- The proposal notably makes no mention of Iran's nuclear program or enriched uranium — long the central issue in US-Iran tensions and one Tehran prefers to address later
- Trump expressed doubt about the deal, writing on social media that Iran 'have not yet paid a big enough price' since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, while a fragile three-week ceasefire appears to be holding
- Ships and seafarers — many crew members from India and south/southeast Asia — remain stuck in the Persian Gulf with dwindling drinking water, food, and supplies after at least two dozen attacks since the war began Feb. 28
Why it matters: Iran's 14-point proposal conspicuously omits its nuclear program — the original flashpoint of US-Iran tensions — signaling Tehran is trying to set the agenda on its own terms rather than return to the prewar negotiating framework. Meanwhile, the two new vessel attacks despite a three-week ceasefire show the blockade remains lethal, and Trump's 'Project Freedom' puts the US military directly between Iranian patrol boats and commercial shipping with no clear rules of engagement defined.
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