US President Donald Trump warned that military action against Iran will be carried out again, if the country does not agree to a peace deal. Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that bombing would be resumed on a much higher level if a deal is not reached.
However, US Secretary of state Marco Rubio commented yesterday that the offensive stage of Iran war is over. The US also paused Project Freedom, intended to secure the movement of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, yesterday.
Iranian state media has portrayed the US decision to halt escort operations as a strategic retreat, claiming it reflects the failure of Washington’s approach. Officials in Tehran have not formally responded to Trump’s latest warning, but military-linked outlets have suggested that new navigation procedures are now in place to allow safer passage through the strait.
The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) shipping association told the BBC that there were about 1,000 stranded ships with some 20,000 seafarers on board in the blocked Strait.
Diplomatic efforts are underway to end the war which began on February 28. In a first, Iran's Foreign Minister is in Beijing to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart. China has called for an end to the war, stating that a comprehensible ceasefire must be worked out.