French Commander Thomas Scalabre points out the positions of ships in the Strait of Hormuz on a screen at the MICA (Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness) center in Brest, western France, on April 27, 2026. (Photo: AFP)
Iran's military warned on Monday that U.S. forces would face attacks if they entered the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump said the United States would begin "escorting" ships through the waterway. According to Trump's plan, the U.S. Navy would escort ships from countries “that have nothing to do with the conflict in the Middle East” through the Strait of Hormuz, starting from Monday morning local time.
Trump said on Sunday that the new maritime operation, which he dubbed "Project Freedom," was a "humanitarian" gesture for crews aboard the many ships swept up in the blockade who may be running low on food and other supplies.
"We will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait. In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation," Trump posted on Truth Social, saying operations would begin on Monday.
In response, the Iranian military's central command said any safe passage through Hormuz must be coordinated with its forces "under all circumstances."
"We warn that any foreign armed force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, will be targeted and attacked," said Major General Ali Abdollahi in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB.
“Any U.S. intervention in the new maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the cease-fire” that came into force on 8 April, Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, had previously warned.
Stranded
U.S. Central Command said it would use guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms and 15,000 service members in the Hormuz effort.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. naval blockade was only part of a broader economic embargo.
"We are suffocating the regime, and they are not able to pay their soldiers," he told Fox News. "This is a real economic blockade, and it is in all parts of government."
As of April 29, more than 900 commercial vessels were located in the Gulf, according to maritime intelligence firm AXSMarine.
Negotiations between the two countries have been deadlocked since a cease-fire in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran took effect on April 8, with Tehran's de facto closure of the strait a main point of contention after causing major upheavals in the global economy.
By blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has choked off major flows of oil, gas, and fertilizer to the world economy, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
Trump in his post said he was "fully aware that my Representatives are having very positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could lead to something very positive for all." But he made no direct mention of a 14-point plan that Tehran said it put forward last week to end the war.
'Impossible operation'
U.S. news website Axios, citing two sources briefed on the Iranian proposal, reported that Tehran set "a one-month deadline for negotiations on a deal to reopen the strait," lift the U.S. naval blockade and end the war.
On Sunday, the Revolutionary Guards sought to put the onus back on Trump, saying he must choose between "an impossible operation or a bad deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Washington's European allies are concerned that the longer the strait remains closed, the more their economies will suffer, and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul demanded that it be reopened.
In a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, Wadephul stressed that Germany supported a negotiated solution but that "Iran must completely and verifiably renounce nuclear weapons and immediately open the Strait of Hormuz."
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Monday for a “coordinated” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz between “Iran and the United States.” He expressed skepticism about the new operation launched by Donald Trump, describing its framework as “unclear.”
"That is the only solution for reopening," he said.
“The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has enormous repercussions for the Indo-Pacific,” emphasized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, noting that the region is heavily dependent on the Middle East for its energy.
‘Shortages’
The blockade of the strait sent oil prices soaring to their highest level since 2022 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Prices stabilized on Monday in Asian markets, with a barrel of Brent, the global benchmark, edging up 0.39% to $108.59, well below the $126 mark surpassed on Thursday.
The number of commercial vessels in the Gulf stood at 913 on April 29, including 270 oil tankers and around 50 gas carriers, maritime tracking firm AXSMarine reported on Thursday. Some 20,000 seafarers are believed to be affected, according to a senior official at the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
“Many of these ships are running out of food and everything else needed to keep the crews healthy on board,” Donald Trump pointed out.
'In the graveyard'
Since the start of the war, which has claimed thousands of lives, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, Tehran has effectively imposed transit fees for crossing the strait. The situation has been deadlocked since the cease-fire on April 8, following almost 40 days of Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes in the region.
Between the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear issue, significant points of disagreement remain, and efforts to restart negotiations have failed, despite an initial face-to-face meeting in Pakistan on April 11. To give the talks another chance, Tehran has submitted a new proposal to Washington, to which the U.S. has responded, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
According to the Tasnim news agency, Tehran is calling for a list of measures in this plan: the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas near Iran, the lifting of the blockade on Iranian ports and the freeze on the country’s assets, the funding of reparations, the lifting of sanctions, a "mechanism" concerning the Strait of Hormuz and "an end to the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon." The nuclear issue does not appear to feature in the plan, yet it is a central concern for the United States and Israel, which accuse Iran of seeking to acquire the atomic bomb — a claim the Islamic Republic denies.
