Rubio: "Project Freedom" halted at Pakistan's request

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the suspension of “Project Freedom,” a U.S. military operation to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, was carried out at the request of Pakistan.

“The reason why Project Freedom stopped was at the request of Pakistan. The Pakistanis said, ‘If you guys stop Project Freedom, we think we can get to a deal.’ We went ahead and agreed to stop it,” Rubio said in an interview with NBC News. 

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced that the operation would be halted, citing “great progress” toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran, while maintaining pressure over the Strait of Hormuz blockade.

However, subsequent developments suggested the diplomatic process stalled, with Trump later describing Iran’s proposed peace plan as “totally unacceptable.”

“Project Freedom” was launched on May 4 and involved U.S. military plans to escort commercial shipping through the strategic waterway amid heightened regional tensions. On the night of May 6, Trump announced the suspension of the operation, citing ongoing diplomatic efforts with Tehran.

By Sabina Mammadli