·
·
World
Trump escalates rhetoric against Iran, threatening a wider military operation called 'Project Freedom Plus' if no nuclear deal is reached.
US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with an expanded version of the "Project Freedom" military operation if negotiations fail to produce an agreement ending the war and tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's nuclear program. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Washington would "go a different route" if a deal is not signed, warning the administration could revive the project under a broader format he called "Project Freedom Plus," though he did not specify what additional steps would be taken.
The remarks come as the United States maintains a tightened naval blockade on Iran as part of the economic and military pressure campaign Washington has led since the war began on February 28. Trump had previously announced a temporary suspension of "Project Freedom," the naval operation launched by the US to secure commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying the decision came at the request of Pakistan and other countries involved in mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.
@POTUS on Project Freedom: "We'll go a different route if everything doesn't get signed up, buttoned up... We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen — but it'll be Project Freedom Plus, meaning Project Freedom plus other things." pic.twitter.com/QpKc78vo6p
The US president explained that pausing the project was intended to give negotiations a chance to progress, "to see if the final agreement can be completed and signed," while stressing that the naval blockade on Iranian ports remains in effect. In parallel with the political statements, US Central Command (CENTCOM) has continued to bolster its military presence in the region, releasing images of American destroyers involved in monitoring and interdiction operations tied to enforcing the blockade on vessels heading to or from Iranian ports.
The US military command confirmed that naval forces have diverted dozens of commercial ships and prevented others from entering or leaving Iranian ports, part of what Washington describes as efforts to choke off Iranian funding sources linked to oil and maritime trade. The White House asserted that the naval blockade on Iran is achieving highly effective results, emphasizing that the US president keeps all options on the table in dealing with Tehran.
The US administration is betting that mounting economic and military pressure will push Iran back to the negotiating table on American terms, particularly amid estimates of growing strain on the Iranian economy and oil sector. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington would use all available tools to prevent Iran from rebuilding programs related to nuclear proliferation. Rubio also announced new sanctions on foreign networks and entities accused by Washington of contributing to arming Iran and supplying it with materials linked to missile and drone programs.
