Iran challenges Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ Hormuz initiative
Shafaq News- Tehran (Updated at 11:00)
Iran warned on Monday that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must coordinate with Iranian forces, stressing that Tehran continues to manage and secure the strategic waterway “with all its strength.”
In a statement, Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters, noted that US forces and other foreign militaries would be targeted if they attempt to approach or enter the passage. He also urged Washington to exercise caution, cautioning of what he described as “irreversible regret,” while accusing US political and military leadership of “theft and piracy in open waters.”
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump introduced “Project Freedom,” a naval operation aimed at escorting stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz. Framing the initiative as a humanitarian effort to assist “neutral and innocent bystanders,” he reiterated that ships from countries not involved in the Iran-US-Israel conflict should be allowed to pass safely through the strategic maritime corridor.
The US Central Command later announced that more than 100 aircraft and around 15,000 US troops will be deployed as part of the operation, describing the mission as “defensive” and “essential to regional security.”
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 3, 2026
